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THE 



DEAN OF LISMORE'S BOOK 



EDINBURGH : PRINTED BY THOMAS CONSTABLE, 
FOR 

EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS. 

LONDON HAMI^TON, ADAMS, AND CO. 

CAMBRIDGE MACMILLAN AND CO. 

DUBLIN W. EOBERTSON. 

GLASGOW TAMES MACLEHOSE. 







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B c^-cr?^ 0f jd^JL. ^-^-^Wv rf '^/X.A-ryvt?^^ 



THE 



DEAN OF LISMORE'S BOOK 



A SELECTION OF 



ANCIENT GAELIC POETRY 



FROM A MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION MADE BY SIR JAMES MCGREGOR, 

DEAN OF LISMORE, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 

SIXTEENTH CENTURY. 



EDITED WITH A TRANSLATION AND NOTES 

BY THE EEV. THOMAS M^LAUCHLAN 

AND 
AN INTRODUCTION AND ADDITIONAL NOTES 

BY WILLIAM F. SKENE Esq. 



EDINBUEGH 
EDMONSTON and DOUGLAS 

18 6 2. 



u 



. : ■- -Z^ _ y.^.. .. , .1.^ , WWjiS i-- 




THE 



DEAN OF LISMORE'S BOOK 



A SELECTION OF 



ANCIENT GAELIC POETRY 



FROM A MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION MADE BY SIR JAMES MCGREGOR, 

DEAN OF LISMORE, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 

SIXTEENTH CENTURY. 



EDITED WITH A TRANSLATION AND NOTES 

BY THE EEV. THOMAS M^LAUCHLAN 

4 

AND 
AN INTRODUCTION AND ADDITIONAL NOTES 

BY WILLIAM F. SKENE Esq. 



EDINBUEGH 
EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS 

186 2. 



^ 






I 



BXOHANQB 
OLEVELAND PUB LIB'Y 
AUG 2 . 1939 



CONTENTS. 



.OSIMILES — (I.) Genealogy of M'Gregor, byDougal the Servitor. 

(II.) Lines by Countess of Argylb, . . Frontispiece 

TTEODUCTION, BY WILLIAM F. SKENE, Esq., . . page i 

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE DEAN OF LISMORE'S MS., . xci 

FACSIMILES— (I.) Autograph of Dean M'Gregor. 

(II.) Part of Ossian's Ode to Finn, . . . xcvi 

QNGLISH TRANSLATION OF POEMS SELECTED FROM IT, 

WITH NOTES, BY THE REY. THOS. M'LAUCHLAN, 1-161 

[ORIGINAL TEXT, WITH TRANSLATION INTO MODERN 

SCOTCH GAELIC, BY THE REV. THOS. M'LAUCHLAN, . 2, 3 

NOTE BY TRANSLATOR, . . . . . .129 

DITIONAL NOTES, BY WILLIAM F. SKENE, Esq., . . 137 

EX, 153 



Il^TRODUCTIOK 



In the heart of the Perthsliire Highlands, and not far 
from the northern shore of Loch Tay, there lies a secluded 
vale of about six miles long. The river Lyon, which 
issues from the long and narrow valley of Glenlyon 
through the pass of Chesthill, hardly less beautiful than 
the celebrated pass of Killichranky, meanders through it. 
On the east bank of a small stream which falls into the 
Lyon about the centre of the vale, is the Clachan or 
Kirkton of Fortingall, anciently called Fothergill, from 
which it takes its name ; and on the west or opposite 
bank is the mansion of Glenlyon House, anciently called 
TuUichmullin. 

A stranger stationed at the clachan or little village of 
Fortingall, would almost fancy that there was neither 
egress from nor ingress to this little district, so secluded 
and shut in among the surrounding mountains does it 
appear to be. It is a spot where one could weU suppose 
that the traditions of former times, and the remains of a 
forgotten oral literature, might still linger in the memo- 
ries of its inhabitants ; while the local names of the 

h 



11 [NTEODUCTION. 

mountains and streams about it are redolent of the mythic 
times of the Feine. On the west is the glen of Glenlyon, 
the ancient Cromgleann nan Clach or Crooked Glen of the 
Stones, associated with many a tradition of the Feine, 
and where the remains of those rude forts, termed 
Caistealan na Feine, crown many a rocky summit ; and 
the vale is bounded on the south and east by the ridge | 
of Druimf hionn or Finn's Eidge. 

In the latter part of the fifteenth and beginning of the 
sixteenth centuries, there dwelt here a family of the name 
of Macgregor. They were descended from a vicar of 
Fortingall, who, at the time w^hen, during the century j 
preceding the Keformation, the Catholic Church w^as 
breaking up, and their benefices passing into the hands of 
laymen, secured for himself and his descendants the 
vicarage of Fortingall and a lease of the church lands. 

Of the history of this family we know somewhat from 
an obituary commenced by one of his descendants, and 
continued to the year 1579 by the Curate of Fothergill, 
which is still preserved. 

His son, whether legitimate or illegitimate we know 
not, was Ian Eewych, or John the Grizzled, termed 
Makgewykar or son of the Vicar. ^ 

His grandson was Dougall Maol, or Dougall the Bald 
or Tonsured, called patronymically Dougall Johnson, or 
the son of John. 

This DougaU Johnson appears in 1511 as a notary- 



1 Obitiis Katherine neyn Ayn Weyll Gewykar apud AycWy in Mense Decem- 
Spoiisse Johannis M'Ayn Eaw'ycli Mac- bris anno Domini Mvcxlij. — Chron.Fort. 



INTRODUCTION. Ill 

public/ and dwelt at TuUichmuUin, where his wife 
Katherine, daughter of Donald M'Clawe, alias Grant, 
died in 1512.^ He is twice mentioned in the obituary 
or Chronicle of Fortingall; in 1526, as repairing the cross 
in Inchadin, or the old church of Kenmore, situated on 
the north bank of the river Tay, nearly opposite Tay- 
mouth Castle ; and in 1529, as placing a stone cross in 
Larkmonemerkyth, the name of a pass among the hills 
which leads from Inchadin to the south.^ 

Of Dougall the Bald, the son of John the Grizzled, we 
have no further mention ; but of his family we know of 

,^ two sons, James and Duncan. 

P James was a Churchman. He appears as a notary- 
public, an office then held by ecclesiastics, along with his 
father, in the year 1511, and he early attained to honour 
and influence, through what channel is unknown; for, 
in 1514, we find him Dean of Lismore,^ an island in 
Argyllshire, lying between the districts of Lorn and Mor- 
vern, which was at that time the Episcopal seat of the 
Bishops of Argyll. He was, besides. Vicar of Fortingall 
and Firmarius or tenant of the church lands ; and died 
possessed of these benefices in the year 1551, and 

1 Charter Eotert Menzies of that ilk Memorandum solium crucis in Inch- 
to Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenurchy, adin compositum fuit per Dougallum 
dated at the Isle of Loch Tay, 18th Johnson. Anno domini M°V'=xxvj". 
September 1511. Inter test. Dugallo Crux lapidea fuit posita in Larlc- 
Johneson Notario et domino Jacobo monemerkyth in magno lapide qui alio 

IM'Gregour notario-publico. — Reg. Mag. nomine vocatur clachur . . . per 

Sig. xvii. 69. Dougallum Johnson primo Octobris anno 

2 Obitus Catherine neyn Donyll domini, etc., V'^xxix. — Chron. Fort. 
M'Clawe alias Grant uxoris Dougalli 

Johnson apud Tullychmolliu xxij. die ^ Origines Parochiales, vol. ii. pt. i. 

Julij anno domini M^V^xj. p. 161. 



iv INTRODUCTION. 

was buried in the choir of the old church of Inch- 
adin.^ 

In 1552, a year after his death, Gregor Macgregor, son 
of the deceased Sir James Macgregor, Dean of Lismore, 
as became the head of a small but independent sept of 
the Macgregors, and with a due regard to its safety, 
bound himself to Colin Campbell of Glenurchy and his 
heirs, " taking him for his chief, in place of the Laird of 
Macgregor, and giving him his calp." ^ 

In 1557 Gregor and Dougall Macgregors, natural sons 
of Sir James Macgregor, receive letters of legitimation ;^ 
and, in 1574, Dougall Macgregor appears as Chancellor of 
Lismore.^ 

It is unnecessary for our purpose to follow the history 
of this family any further ; suffice it to say, that the two 
brothers, James and Duncan,^ members of a clan which, 
though under the ban of the Government, and exposed 
to the grasping aggression of their powerful neighbours, 
the Campbells of Glenurchy, considered themselves as 
peculiarly Highland, and had high pretensions, as 
descended from the old Celtic monarchs of Scotland — 
connected with the Church, and as such, possessing some 

' Obitus honorabilis viri ac egregii ^ Precept of Legitimation in farour of 

Viri Domini Jacobi (McGregor) filii Gregor and Dongal MacGregors^ natural 

Boiigalli Johnson ac decani Lesmorensis sons of Sir James MacGregor. — Privy 

Vicarii de Fortyrgill et Firmarii dicte Seal, xxix. 46. 

ecclesie . . . bone memorie in nocte * Charter by Dongall Macgregor, 

Sancte Lucie virginis hora . . . post Chancellor of Lismoir, with consent of 

meridiem et sepultns in die Lncie vide- Sir Colin Campbell of Glenurchy, of the 

licet . . . Anno Domini M V^j". lands of Auchnacroftie, dated at Balloch, 

in choro de Inchadin.— Chron, Fort. 25th December 1574. 

^ Duncan mcCowle voil vie Eoyne 

2 Black Book of Taymouth, p. 196. Eeawych.— MS., p. 223. 



INTRODUCTION. V 

cultivation of mind and such literary taste as Churchmen 
at that time had, yet born and reared in the farm-house of 
TullichmuUin, in the secluded vale of Fortingall, and im- 
bued with that love of old Highland story and cherished 
fondness for Highland song, which manifests itself in so 
many a quiet country Highlander, and which the scenery 
and associations around them were so well calculated to 
foster — the one, from his high position in the Church of 
Argyll, having peculiar facilities for collecting the poetry 
current in the West Highlands — the other, though his 
brother, yet, as was not uncommon in those days, his 
servitor or amanuensis, and himself a poet — and both 
natives of the Perthshire Highlands — collected and tran- 
scribed into a commonplace book Gaelic poetry obtained 
from all quarters. 

This collection has fortunately been preserved. It is, 
unquestionably, a native compilation made in the central 
Highlands, upwards of three hundred years ago. It con- 
tains the remains of an otherwise lost literature. In it 
we find all that we can now recover of native composi- 
tions current in the Highlands prior to the sixteenth 
century, as well as the means of ascertaining the extent 
to which the Highlanders were familiar with the works 
of Irish poets. 

It is a quarto volume of some 311 pages, and is writ- 
ten in the current Eoman hand of the period. Though 
much injured by time, the leaves in part worn away, and 
the ink faint, it is still possible to read the greater part 
of its contents. 



vi INTRODUCTION. 

With the exception of a short Latin obituary, and one 
or two other short pieces, it consists entirely of a collec- 
tion of Gaelic poetry made by the two brothers. 

At the bottom of the 27th page appears the following 
note in Latin: — Liber Dni Jacobi Macgregor Decani 
Lismoren. 

At page 78, there is a chronological list of Scottish 
kings written in the Scottish language, which ends thus: — 
" James the Fyfte reignis now in great felicitie." He 
reigned from 1513 to 1542 ; and, on page 144, there is a 
genealogy of the Macgregors, written by the brother 
Duncan, deducing their descent from the old Scottish 
kings, and he adds a docquet in Graelic, which may be 
thus translated: — Duncan the Servitor, theson of Dougall, 
who was son of John the Grizzled, wrote this from the 
Book of the History of the Kings, and it was done in the 
year 1512.^ 

There can be no question, therefore, that this collection 
was formed during the hfetime of the Dean of Lismore, 
and a great part of it as early as the year 1512. How it 
was preserved through that and the succeeding century 
is unknown. In the last century it passed into the posses- 
sion of the Highland Society of London, by whom it was 
transferred to the custody of the Highland Society of Scot- 
land, when a committee of that Society was engaged in an 
inquiry into the authenticity of the Poems of Ossian, pub- 
lished by Macpherson. It has now been deposited, along 

1 Agis Duncha Deyi' oclycli mcDowle zenyt Anno Domini 1512. — MS., p. Hi. 
vec oyne Reywich di Skreyve so a Deyroclycli is Daoroglach, and is the 
loywrow Shenchych nyn reig agis ros Gaelic rendering of Servitor. 



l: 



INTEODUCTION. 



VU 



with other Gaelic MSS. in the possession of that Society, in 
the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, and forms part 
of that collection of Gaelic MSS. which have been brought 
together within the last few years, and contain nearly all 
the Gaelic MSS. which are known still to exist. ^ 

The Dean's MS. differs from all the other mss. in that 
collection in two essential particulars. It is not, like the 
other MSS , written in what is called the Irish character, 
but in the current Eoman character of the early part of 
the sixteenth century ; and the language is not written 
in the orthography used in writing Irish, and now uni- 
versally employed in writing Scotch Gaelic, but in a 
pecuhar kind of phonetic orthography, which aims at 
presenting the words in Enghsh orthography as they 
are pronounced. 

The peculiar orthography employed is, however, evi- 
dently not the mere attempt of a person ignorant of the 



1 This collection has been formed 
within the last few years mainly through 
the instrumentality of the writer. When 
he commenced, the Faculty of Advocates 
possessed four Gaelic mss. The collec- 
tion now consists of sixty-five. 

The writer formed the plan of collect- 
ing the remains of the MS. Gaelic litera- 
ture of Scotland, which was rapidly dis- 
appearing, into one place, where they 
conld be preserved, by inducing the pos- 
sessors of Gaelic MSS. to deposit them 
in some piiblic library for preservation; 
and as the Faculty of Advocates were 
already in the possession of some mss., 
their library was evidently the most ap- 
propriate depository for this purpose. 
The valuable MSS. belonging to the 
Highland Society of Scotland formed 
the basis of the collection ; the directors. 



and their secretary, John Hall Maxwell, 
Esq., C.B., having at once responded to 
the call, and the fortunate discovery of 
the Kilbride collection, which its pos- 
sessor likewise agreed to deposit, added 
a large number. The remainder con- 
sists of MSS. deposited by individual 
possessors, and the collection now em- 
braces nearly all the mss. known or be- 
lieved still to exist. 

It is hoped that, if any Gaelic MSS. 
still remain in the hands of individual 
possessors, they will add to the value of 
this collection by making them known, 
and depositing them in the Advocates' 
Library for preservation. 

The MSS. are preserved in a locked 
cabinet, and a general catalogue of the 
whole has been prepared by the writer. 



VIU INTRODUCTION. 

proper orthography to write the words in English letters 
in an arbitrary manner, so as to present, as nearly as pos- 
sible, the sound of the words as they struck his ear when 
repeated to him, but bears evident marks of having been 
a regular and known system of orthography, which, 
although we have few specimens of it left, may not the 
less have once prevailed in that part of the Highlands 
more removed from the influence of Irish teaching. 

It is a peculiarity of aU the Celtic dialects, that the 
consonants suffer a change in the beginning of words, 
from the influence of the preceding words, or in forming 
the oblique cases, and likewise change their sound in the 
middle of words by being aspirated. 

In the Irish orthography, the original consonant is in- 
variably preserved ; and the change is indicated by pre- 
fixing another consonant when the sound is affected by 
eclipsis, or the influence of the preceding word, or by 
adding the letter h, when it is changed by aspiration. 

In the Welsh dialects, however, and in the Manx, which 
is a dialect of the Graelic division of the Celtic languages, 
a different system of orthography has always prevailed. 
Instead of retaining the original letter, and indicating 
the change in the sound by prefixing or adding another, 
a different letter expressing simply the new sound, is 
substituted for the original letter ; and hence the ortho- 
graphy bears more of a phonetic and less of an etymo- 
logic character. 

Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. 
In the one, the original form of the word is preserved, 



INTRODUCTION. IX 

and the primary sounds of the letters are retained. The 
alteration in their sound in inflection is marked by pre- 
fixing another letter, or adding the letter h. It is by 
the application of grammatical rules that the pronuncia- 
tion of the word is ascertained, and that pronunciation 
may deviate from time to time to a greater degree from 
the original standard, while the orthography, always re- 
maining the same, fails to chronicle it. 

In the other, a new letter is substituted for the original 
letter, when the sound is changed by inflection, or by the 
position of the word in a sentence, and the orthography 
employed expresses the pronunciation of the word in its 
inflected, without reference to its original form. 

The one presents the language in its etymologic form, 
without reference to its pronunciation, and is of value in 
preserving the original form of the written speech. 

The other stereotypes its sounds as spoken at the time ; 
it is committed to writing without reference to the ori- 
ginal form or primary shape of the words ; and is of value 
in exhibiting the living dialects as spoken by the people. 

An apt illustration of this is afibrded by the English 
language and its dialects. 

The EngHsh orthography exhibits the language as it 
once was, but from which it has greatly deviated in pro- 
nunciation ; and it is hardly possible to frame rules by 
applying which, to the orthography, the present pro- 
nunciation can be deduced. It is obvious that if the 
words, which are diflerently pronounced in the Scotch 
dialect, were spelt according to the English orthography, 



X INTRODUCTION. 

no clue would be afforded to its peculiarities. On 
other hand, when the Scotch dialect is spelt phonetically, 
as is done, for instance, by Sir Walter Scott in his Scotch 
romances, the peculiarities in the pronunciation of a Hving 
dialect are vividly presented, and these elements of the 
original language, which may have been preserved in this 
dialect, are made available for philological purposes. 

The collection of GaeUc poetry made by the Dean of 
Lismore and his brother is thus written in an ortho- 
graphy of this latter class. It attracted some notice 
when the Highland Society was engaged in its inquiry 
into the authenticity of Ossian's Poems, from its includ- 
ing among its contents some poems attributed to Ossian. 
Three of these are printed in the report, though incor- 
rectly and imperfectly, but little was known of the other 
contents of the MS. 

A transcript was made of the MS. for the Highland 
Society by the late Mr. Ewen M'Lachlan, an accom- 
plished Gaelic scholar, who was employed to examine 
their MS. It, however, passed into the possession of the 
Eev. J. Macintyre of Kilmanievaig, who allowed it to be 
examined for a short time by the editors, but no fuU or 
correct account was given of the MS. till the Eev. T. 
M'Lauchlan, one of the editors of this work, read an 
account of it to the Society of Scottish Antiquaries 
in the year 1856, which is printed in their proceed- 
ings.^ This account attracted considerable notice to 
the MS., and led to its value being more appreciated. 

1 Vol. ii. pt. i. p. 35. 



INTEODUCTION. XI 

The present publication has, in consequence, been under- 
taken. 

The Dean's MS. has a double value, philological and 
literary, and is calculated to throw light both on the lan- 
guage and the literature of the Highlands of Scotland. It 
has a philological value, because its peculiar orthography 
presents the language at the time in its aspect and cha- 
racter as a spoken language, and enables us to ascertain 
whether many of the peculiarities which now distinguish 
it were in existence three hundred years ago ; and it has 
a literary value, because it contains poems attributed to 
Ossian, and to other poets prior to the sixteenth century, 
which are not to be found elsewhere ; and thus presents 
to us specimens of the traditionary poetry current in the 
Highlands prior to that period, which are above suspi- 
cion, having been collected upwards of three hundred 
years ago, and before any controversy on the subject 
had arisen. 

It has been found impossible to present so large a col- 
lection entire, but the selection has been made with 
reference to these two objects. Each poem selected for 
publication has been presented entire. There is a literal 
translation of the poem made by the Kev. T. M'Lauchlan, 
and appended is the original Graelic text of the poem in 
the Deans orthography, exactly as it appears in the 
MS. ; and, on the opposite page, the same Gaelic has been 
transferred by Mr. M^Lauchlan into the modern ortho- 
graphy of the Scotch Gaelic, which is nearly the same as 
that of the Irish, so as to afford the means of comparing 



I 



xii INTRODUCTION. 



1 



the one orthography with the other, and the modern 
spoken dialect in the Highlands with the language of 
the poems collected by the Dean upwards of three hun- 
dred years ago, as well as to furnish a test of the accuracy 
of the translation, by showing the rendering given to the 
Dean's language.^ 

The present spoken language of the Highlands of Scot- 
land is, as is well known, a dialect^ of that great branch 
of the Celtic languages termed the Gwyddelian or Gaelic, 
and to which belong also the Irish and Manx, or spoken 
language of the Isle of Man. These three dialects of the 
Gaelic branch of the Celtic languages, the Irish, the Scotch 
Gaelic, and the Manx, approach each other so nearly, as 
to form in fact but one language ; and the peculiarities 
which distinguish them from one another are not of a 
nature sufficiently broad or vital to constitute either of 
them a distinct language. 

The language spoken by the Highlanders of Scotland 
is termed by them simply Gaelic ; but the name of Erse 

1 It is hardly possible to convey to the language with an intelligible exhibition 
reader an adequate conception of the of its meaning in English. 
labour of the task undertaken by Mr. It may be as well to take this oppor- 
M'Lanchlan, or of the courage, perse- tunity of stating, that Mr. M'Lauchlan 
verance, and ability with which it has is solely responsible for the selection 
been overcome. Mr. M'Lauchlan had made from the Dean's MS., the render- 
first to read the Dean's transcript— no ing in modern Gaelic, the English trans- 
ordinary task, when, to a strange ortho- lation, and the notes at the foot of the 
graphy, affording no clue to the original page. The writer of this is responsible 
word, was added a careless handwriting only for the Introduction and the addi- 
of the beginning of the sixteenth cen- tional notes, to which his name is at- 
tury, faded ink, and decaj^ed paper. He taclied. 
had then to convert it into the corre- 
sponding Gaelic in its modern shape and ^ I use the word dialect throughout, in 
orthography, and then to translate it the restricted sense of the German word 
into English, in which he had to com- mundart, for Avant of a better English 
bine the literal rendering of an idiomatic word to express it. 



INTRODUCTION. Xlll 

has occasionally been bestowed upon it during the last 
few centuries by the Lowlanders/ As early as the year 
1690 a short vocabulary of Scotch Gaelic words was ap- 
pended to an edition of Bedel's Irish Bible, to adapt it 
to the use of the Scotch Highlanders ; and a somewhat 
fuller vocabulary, by the same author, was published in 
Nicolsons Scottish Historical Library in 1702. 

In 1741, a more complete vocabulary was published by 
the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, for the 
use of their schools in the Highlands. It was compiled 
by Mr. Alexander M'Donald, schoolmaster at Ardna- 
murchan. Another vocabulary was published in 1795 by 
Eobert M'Farlane; and, in 1815, a further step in advance 
was made by the larger vocabulary of Mr. P. M'Farlane. 

In 1825, a large quarto dictionary of the Scotch Gaelic 
w^as published by E. A. Armstrong; and in three years 
afterwards the splendid dictionary compiled by the first 
Gaelic scholars, under the auspices of the Highland Society 
of Scotland, appeared. In this dictionary Gaelic words 
from all quarters are inserted ; but those which belong 
to the vernacular dialect of the Scotch Highlands are care- 
fully distinguished. 

The small dictionary compiled by M'Alpine, a school- 
master in Isky, affords a genuine representation of the 
Gaelic spoken in that island. 

1 This term is unknown to the High- plied by the English to the Scotch in the 

landers, who call themselves Albanaich ; twelfth century. Lambarde records that, 

and was a term of reproach applied to at the battle of the Standard, when the 

them by the Lowlanders, from their Ian- Scots shouted A Ibany, Albany ! the Eng- 

guage being the same as the Irish. It is lish soldiers retorted with Try, Yry ! 

curious that the same reproach w^as ap- " a term of great reproach at that time." 



xiv INTRODUCTION. 

The only grammar of the Scotch Gaelic which it is 
necessary to notice, is the able and philosophic grammar 
by Alexander Stewart, Minister of the Gospel at Ding- 
wall, the first edition of which was pubhshed in 1801, and 
the second in 1 8 1 2. As a first attempt to reduce the spoken 
language of the Scotch Highlanders to a grammatical sys- 
tem, it is a work of rare excellence and fidelity, and all I 
other grammars have been more or less taken from it. 

This grammar, then, and the vocabularies and diction- i 
aries above referred to, contain the Gaelic language as • 
spoken, at the time of their compilation, in the Highlands 
of Scotland, and afibrd the materials for judging of the 
character of those peculiarities which distinguish it from 
the Irish and Manx Gaelic.^ 

The difierences between the spoken langTiage of the 
Scottish Highlands and the Irish exist partly in the pro- 
nunciation, where the accentuation of the language is 
different, where that peculiar change in the initial conso- 
nant, produced by the influence of the previous word, and 
termed by the Irish grammarians eclipsis, is unknown ex- 
cept in the sibilant, where the vowel sounds are different, 

1 I reject from this list the grammar pose, and resorted to Ireland, where 
and dictionary by the Eev. Wm. Shaw, he manufactured his works from Irish 
published in 1778 and 1780, because, so sources and authorities, adapting the 
far as they purport to be a grammar and Irish grammar to a very imperfect know- 
dictionary of the Scotch Gaelic dialect, ledge of the language, 
they are a deception, and not trust- The subscribers complained of the de- 
worthy, ception, and refused to take the work, 

Shaw was a native of Arran, where a till compelled by a process at law. The 

corrupt and Irishised Gaelic is spoken ; evidence taken in this process is very 

and it is well known that he failed in instructive as to the position of Shaw's 

his attempt to compile his dictionary grammar and dictionary, so far as their 

from the spoken language in the High- Irish element is concerned, towards the 

lands, where he made a tour for the pur- Scotch Gaelic dialect at that period. 



INTRODUCTION. XV 

and there are even traces of a consonantal permutation ; 
partly in the grammar, where the Scotch Gaelic prefers 
the analytic form of the verb, and has no present tense, 
the old present being now used for the future, and the 
present formed by the auxiliary verb, where the plural of 
one class of the nouns is formed in a peculiar manner, 
resembling the Anglo-Saxon, and a different negative is 
used ; partly in the idioms of the language, where a 
greater preference is shown to express the idea by the 
use of substantives, and the verb is anxiously avoided; 
and in the vocabulary, which varies to a considerable ex- 
tent, where words now obsolete in Irish are still living 
words, and others are used in a different sense,^ 

The Scotch Gaelic is spoken in its greatest purity in 
the central districts of the Highlands, including Mull, 
Morvern, Ardnamurchan, Ardgowar, Appin, Lochaber, 
and that district termed the Garbh chriochan, or rough 
bounds, consisting of Arisaig, Moydart, Moror, and Knoy- 
dart. The language here spoken is characterized by a 
closer adherence to grammatical rules, by a fuller and 
more careful pronunciation of the vowel sounds, by a 
selection of the best words to express the idea, and by 
their use in their primary sense. 

In the county of Argyll, and the islands which face 
the coast of Ireland, the language approaches much more 
nearly to the Ulster dialect of the Irish, there being pro- 
bably no perceptible difference between the form of the 

1 A more detailed statement of the Gaelic will be found in the additional 
differences between Scotch and Irish Notes. 



i 



XVI INTRODUCTION. 

language in Isla and Eachrin, or in Cantyre and the 
opposite coast of Antrim. 

In the Gaehc of Sutherland and Caithness, again, there 
are marked differences of a different and opposite cha- 
racter, a native of Sutherland and the southern districts 
of Argyll having some difficulty in understanding each 
other ; and in Perthshire, on the other hand, the influ- 
ence of the English language is apparent, the pronuncia- 
tion is more careless, the words selected less pure, and 
the secondary senses of many are only used. 

The central districts afford the best type of that variety 
of Gaehc which forms the spoken language of the High- 
lands of Scotland. 

Of this language two views may be taken. The pecu- 
harities of the language may have sprung up quite re- 
cently, and the language may, at no very distant period, 
have been absolutely identical in form and sound wit! 
the Irish, from which it may have become corrupted b} 
the absence of cultivation, and must be regarded merelj 
as the lude 2^cttois of a people whose ignorance of the cuL 
tivated language has led to their adoption of pecuharitieg 
sanctioned by no grammatical rule ; or, on the other hand 
these peculiarities may partake rather of the character o§ 
dialectic differences, and enter more deeply into the organ- 
ization of the language, and thus may have characterized 
it from that remoter period, when geographical separation 
and political isolation may have led to the formation, in 
the Highlands of Scotland, of a dialectic variety of the 
common language. 



INTRODUCTION. XVU 

The first is the view taken by Irish grammarians, 
and if correct, these differences cannot be considered as 
of any philological importance. The question has not, 
however, been treated by them in a candid spirit, or 
with any grasp of the subject ; and their opinion must 
be based upon a more accurate knowledge of the spoken 
dialect which is the subject of it, and upon a sounder and 
more impartial examination of those philologic elements 
which ought to enter into its consideration, before it can 
be accepted as conclusive. If the second view is the 
correct one, then it is obvious that the Scotch Gaelic is 
well deserving of study, as a distinct variety of the Gaelic 
language which was common to Scotland and Ireland ; 
and everything that tends to throw light upon it, and 
upon the existence and origin of these differences, ac- 
quires a philologic value. 

In the study of language, the spoken dialects are of 
great value. It is from the study of the living dialects, 
which are not merely corruptions of the spoken language, 
but present dialectic peculiarities, that we arrive at a full 
perception of the character and tendencies of the mother 
tongue. 

It is the destiny of all languages, that they no sooner 
enter upon the domain of history than they begin to 
alter, decompose, and split into dialects. The forma- 
tion of the mother tongue belongs to the prehis- 
toric period ; and it is a process which, carried on in 
the infancy and growth of the social state, is concealed 
from observation. When its possessors first emerge into 

c 



\ 

xviii INTRODUCTION. | 

i 

view, and take their place among the history of nations, 
counter influences have already been at work, their lan- 
guage has already entered upon its downward course, 
and we can only watch it in its process of decomposition 
and alteration, and reach its primitive condition, through 
the medium of its dialects. 

There are two opposing influences by which all lan- 
guages are affected — the etymologic and the phonetic. 
The etymologic principle is all-powerful in the formation 
and original structure of the language, producing com- 
binations of sounds demanded by the laws of its compo- 
sition, but irrespective altogether of the requirements of 
harmony, or the tendencies of the human organs of sound. 
It contains in it, however, the seeds of its own destruc- 
tion, and has no sooner completed its work of formation 
than a process of modification and decomposition com- 
mences, caused by the respective idiosyncrasies of its 
speakers, their craving after harmony of combination and 
ease of utterance, and the influence of physical situation 
and surrounding agents upon the organs of speech. 

These phonetic causes enter at once into conflict with 
the strictly etymologic formations of the language, mould- 
ing its sounds, decomposing its structure, and interchang- 
ing the organs producing the sounds ; and these efiectsj 
are perpetuated by circumstances causing the separation 
or isolation of the people who have adopted them, while 
new words and combinations are added to their vocabu- 
lary by new wants arising in their separate state, by their 
advance in social condition, or by the peculiarities of theirj 



INTRODUCTION. xix 

new condition. Thus innumerable dialects spring up. 
Whenever a difference of situation takes place among the 
people composing the aggregate by whom the original 
language was spoken, a diversity of dialect is at once 
created. In these dialects are preserved the bones of the 
mother tongue ; and it is only by a comparison of these 
that her full character can be ascertained. 

This tendency of the mother tongue, to break up into 
as many dialects as there are shades of difference in the 
position and tendencies of its speakers, is only arrested 
by the formation of a cultivated dialect, created when 
the wants of an educated or cultivated class in the com- 
munity demand a common medium of interchanging their 
ideas. This cultivated language is usually first formed by 
poetry, completed by writing, and adopted by education. 
Its first stage is that of the language in which the songs 
and poems, the first literature of a rude people, are re- 
cited by its bards, its earhest literary class ; and, by the 
introduction of the art of writing, it passes over into 
the written speech. It then becomes a common dialect, 
spoken and written by the cultivated class of the com- 
munity, and to a knowledge of which a portion of the 
people are raised by education. 

This cultivated or written language may have been 
originally one of the numerous dialects spoken by the 
people composing the community, and which circum- 
stances have elevated into that position ; or it may have 
been introduced from another country speaking a sister 
dialect, which has preceded it in cultivation ; or it may. 



i 



XX INTEODUCTION. 

like the German, have been developed from an unspoken 
variety of the language created by other causes and for 
other purposes. In the one case, the language first cul- 
tivated by poetry passes over into the written language. 
In the other, it remains an indigenous, cultivated, spoken 
language, which is antagonistic to, and contends with, 
the imported written speech till the influence of the latter 
prevails, and it is either extinguished by it, or remains 
as popular poetry in the vernacular tongue, while every- 
thing prose is absorbed. 

But however it originates, the spoken dialects stiU re- 
main as the vernacular speech of portions of the com- 
munity. They are not the children or creatures of the I 
written speech, still less corruptions of it, but are equally 
ancient, and retain much of the elements of the original 
language which the written speech has rejected. 

The formation of a cultivated or written language is 
always an eclectic process. It selects, it modifies, and it 
rejects, while the living dialects retain many of the forms 
and much of the structure modified and rejected by it. 
Hence, for the study of the character and formation of the 
mother tongue, the living spoken dialects are of the first 
importance ; and a restricted attention to the written 
language, and the contemptuous rejection of everything 
in the spoken dialects which vary from it, as barbarisms 
and corruptions, is simply to part with much valuable ma- 
terial for the study, and to narrow the range of inquiry. ^ 

^ Professor Max Miiller lias the follow- tiires on the Science of Language, p. 49., 
iug excellent remarks in his recent lee- "The real and natural life of language: ' 




INTRODUCTION^. 



XXI 



Perhaps the English language affords an illustration of 
these remarks. As a written and cultivated language, it 
took its rise in England, but was introduced from Eng- 
land into Scotland. 

In England, the provincial dialects have remained as 
the spoken language of the uncultivated class in the re- 
spective provinces side by side with it ; but their anti- 
quity and their value for philological purposes is fully 
acknowledged. No one dreams of viewing them as 
merely corruptions of the written language, arising from 
rudeness and ignorance. 

In Scotland, the English language has been introduced 
as the written or cultivated language, but a different form 



in its dialects ; and in spite of the 
tyranny exercised by the classical or 
literary idioms, the day is still very far 
off which is to see the dialects entirely 
eradicated. . . . 

*' It is a mistake to imagine that dia- 
lects are everywhere corruptions of the 
literary language. . . . Dialects have 
always heen the feeders rather than the 
channels of a literary language ; any- 
how, they are parallel streams which 
existed long before one of them was 
raised to that temporary eminence which 
is the result of literary cultivation." 
The whole of the lecture in which this 
passage occurs is well worthy of perusal, 
in regard to the proper vieAV and posi- 
tion of the spoken dialects in the study 
of language. 

Schleicher takes the same view in his 
masterly work, "Die DeiitscheSprache." 
He says, in relation to the German lan- 
guage, what is equally true of the Gaelic : 

" Die mundarten sind die natiirlichen 
nach den Gesetzen der Sprachgeschicht- 
lichen Veranderungen gewordenen 



Formenim Gegensatze zuder mehr oder 
minder gemachten and schulmeisterisch 
geregelten and zugestutzten Sprache der 
Schrift. Schon hieraus folgt der hohe 
Werth derselben fur diewissenschaftliche 
Erforschung unserer Sprache ; hier ist 
eine reiche Fiillevon Worten und Formen, 
die, an sich gut und echt, von der 
Schriftsprache verschmaht wurden ; hier 
finden wir manches, was mr zur Erklar- 
ung der alter en Sxjrachdenkmale, ja 
zur Erkenntniss der jetzigen Schrift- 
sprache verwerthen kounen, abgesehen 
von dem Sprachgeschichtlichen, dem 
lautphysiologischen Interesse, welches 
die tiberaus reiche Mannigfaltigkeit 
unserer Mimdarten bietet. 

" Wei" einer Mundart kundig ist, der 
hat beim Studiiim des altdeutschen ein- 
en grossen Vorsprung vor demjenigen 
voraus der nur in der Schriftsprache 
heimisch ist. 

^' Nichts ist thorichier, nichts verrdth 
mehr den Mangel wahrer Bildimg als 
das Verrachten unsci^er Mundarten" — 
P. 110. 



XXU INTRODUCTION. 

of the language, the Broad Scotch, is the vernacular 
speech of the people, and preceded the English language 
as the written language of the country in which its 
earliest literature was contained. Its great value, as an 
early form of the original Anglic tongue which formed the 
language of the country, is so fully acknowledged, that 
Jamieson^s Dictionary of the Scotch language has been 
called the best dictionary of the English language. It 
has ceased to be a vehicle for prose composition ; but 
there exists a ballad hterature in the Scotch dialect which 
has resisted the absorbing influence of the English. 

So it was also in the Scotch Highlands, where the written 
and cultivated language did not originate in this country, 
but was brought over from Ireland in the sixth century, 
though in this case the analogy is not so great, from the 
various dialects of the Gaelic having probably at aU 
times approached each other much more nearly than the 
provincial dialects of England and Scotland, and been 
more greatly influenced by the written language. 

In order to determine the philological position and 
value of the Scotch Gaelic, it is necessary to form a more 
accurate conception of the historical position of the people 
who spoke it, and of the influences to which they have been 
exposed, and by which the language was likely to be 
affected. 

Two races seem to have entered, as original elements, i 
into the population of Ireland and of the Highlands of I 
Scotland. These were the race of the Scots and the • 
people termed by the early Irish authorities the race of 



INTRODUCTION. XXlll 

the Cruithne. The latter appear everywhere to have 
preceded the former. 

Prior to the sixth century, the Cruithne alone seem to 
have formed the population of the Scotch Highlands. 
In Ireland they formed the original population of Ulster 
and the north part of Leinster. Connaught, the rest of 
Leinster, and Munster, were Scottish. The east and 
north of Ireland appear to have been most exposed 
to external influences, and to have suffered the 
greatest changes in their population. In the south and 
west it was more permanent ; and from Connaught and 
Leinster the royal races of the Scots emerged, while 
their colonies proceeded from south and west to north 
and east. 

The traditionary history of Ireland records an early 
settlement of the Scots among the Cruithne of Ulster, 
termed from its mythic founder Dalriada, and likewise the 
faU of the great seat of the Cruithnian kingdom, called 
Emania, before an expedition, led by a scion of the Scot- 
tish royal race, who established the kingdom of OrgiaUa 
on its ruins. It is certain that, while we have reason to 
believe that the Cruithne formed the original population 
of the whole of Ulster, we find them in the historic period 
confined to certain districts in Ulster only, although 
their kings retained the title of kings of Ulster. 

In the beginning of the sixth century, the Scots, who 
are frequently recorded by the Koman writers as forming 
part of the predatory bands who, from time to time, as- 
sailed the Eoman province, and finally overthrew their 



XXIV INTEODUCTION. 

empire in Britain, passed over to the opposite coast of 
Argyll, and effected a permanent settlement there, wliich, 
from its mother tribe, was also called Dakiada. This 
settlement is recorded, by the oldest authority, to have 
taken place twenty years after the battle of Ocha, which 
was fought in the year 483, and, therefore, in the year 
503. The territory occupied by this settlement of the 
Scots was the south part of Argyllshire, consisting of the 
districts of Cowall, Kintyre, Knapdale, Argyll- proper, 
Lorn, and probably part of Morvern, with the islands of 
Isla, lona, Arran, and the small islands adjacent. The 
boundary which separated them from the Cruithne was 
on the east, the range of mountains termed Drumalban, 
a mountain chain which still separates the county of 
Argyll from that of Perth. On the north, the bound- 
ary, which probably was not very distinct, and varied 
from time to tune, seems to have been coincident with a 
line extending from the Island of Colonsay through the 
Island of Mull to the centre of the district of Morvern, 
through which it passed to the shores of the Luine Loch 
opposite Appin.^ The rest of the Higlilands was still 



1 In the Island of Colonsay there is a which separates the ancient parishes of 
cairn called Carn cnl ri Erin. Jn Killintach and Killcholumkill in Mor- 
Blean's Atlas, the map of the Island vern, and Killintach is said, in an old do- 
of Mull marks, on the high monn- cument, tobeinG-arwmorvaren, adistrict 
tain which separates the north from the Avhich extended as far north as Loch 
south of the island, two cairns, called Honrn, while Killcholumkill is said to be 
Carn cul ri Erin and Carn cul ri Allabyn. in Kinelbadon, which belonged to the 
These seem to mark some ancient boun- ancient kingdom of Lorn,— there seems 
dary ; but as they are exactly in a line much reason to conclude that this may 
with lona, — which seems to have lain so have been the line of the boundary be- 
nearly on the boundary as to be claimed tween the Dalriad Scots from Erin and 
by both races, and also with the line the Cruithne of Alban. 



INTRODUCTION, XXV 

occupied by the Cruithne, who were Pagans, while the 
Dalriadic Scots were Christians. 

In the year 563, an event took place which was des- 
tined to exercise a powerful influence both on the condition 
and the language of the population. This was the mission 
of Saint Columba, a Scot from Ireland, to convert the 
Cruithne to the Christian faith, and the consequent foun- 
dation of the Monastery of lona, which became the seat 
of learning, and the source of all ecclesiastical authority, 
both for the Cruithne and the Dalriadic Scots, from whence 
innumerable Scottish clergy issued, who spread over the 
country and founded churches among the Cruithne under 
its influence and authority. 

The platform occupied by the two populations, em- 
bracing both Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland, in 
the sixth century, thus showed in the south and west of 
Ireland pure Scots ; in the north and east settlements of 
Scots among the Cruithne, gradually confining the latter 
to isolated districts ; in Argyll, a Scottish settlement 
among the Cruithne of Alban ; and in the rest of the High- 
lands pure Cruithne ; but over both Scots and Cruithne 
in Alban a Scottish clergy, who brought a cultivated and 
literary language with them. 

In Ireland the Gaelic spoken in the different provinces 
varies, and probably has always varied from each other. 
They differ in words, pronunciation, and idiom ; and in 
grammatical construction and idiom there is a marked 
difference between the Gaelic of the northern and of the 
southern half of Ireland. The wiitten language resem- 



XXVI INTRODUCTION. 

bles most the language of the south and west of 
Ireland. It seems to have been formed from it, and to 
have become the common language of the literary and 
cultivated class, while the other dialects remained as the 
spoken language of their respective populations. 

This written language was brought over to Scotland 
in the sixth century by Columba and his clergy, who 
introduced it, with Christianity, among the Cruithne ; 
where, however, the native dialect must have received 
some cultivation, as we find that he was opposed by Magi, 
which imphes a literary class among the Pagan Cruithne. 
At this time there was so little political separation | 
between the two countries, that the Scots of British 
Dalriada remained subject to the Irish DaMacla, from 
which they emerged, tiU the year 573, when Aedan, son 
of Gabran, became king of Scotch Dahiada, and, at the 
great Council of Drumceat, it was declared independent 
of Irish Dalriada, and he was croAvned as its first inde- 
pendent monarch. The Cruithne of Ireland, hkewise, 
formed part of that great Cruithnian kingdom, which had 
its head-quarters in Scotland, till the reign of Fiacha 
mac Baedan, King of Ulster, who ruled over the Irish . 
Cruithne from 689 to 626, and probably in the year 608,' 
when they threw ofi" the yoke of the Cruithne of Scot- 
land.i i 

The Cruithne and the Scots of Ireland and of Scotland : 
then first became separated from, and independent of, 

1 There were thirty kings of the Cruithne of Alba and of the Cruithne of 
Cruithne over Eri and Alba, viz., of the Eri, i.e., of Dalaraidhe. They were fi-om 



II 



INTEODUCTION. XXVU 

each other, and a complete political separation took place 
between the two countries. 

The Cruithne of Scotland remained under the influence 
of the Scottish clergy till the beginning of the eighth cen- 
tury, when their king, Nectan, adopted the usages of the 
Eomish party, and in 717 expelled the Scottish clergy 
out of his dominions across the boundary of Drumalban,^ 
which separated them from the Scots of Dalriada, and a 
new clergy was introduced into that part of the country, 
occupied by the Cruithne, from the Anglic kingdom of 
Northumberland. In 731, we learn from Bede, who then 
closes his history, that the Scots of Dalriada were still 
confined within the same limits ; and that no change had 
up to that date taken place in the relative positions of 
the two populations, the Cruithne and the Scots. After 
this date we know little of the history of the population 
of the Highlands till the middle of the ninth century, 
when we find that a great change had, in the interval, 
taken place in their political condition. The two popu- 
lations had now become united in one kingdom, and a 
family of undoubted Scottish race ruled over the united 
people. 

Of the events which brought about this great change, 
authentic history tells us nothing — of the fact there can be 
no doubt ; and the question arises of how the Gaelic lan- 
guage originated in the undalriadic part of the Highlands. 

Ollamhaii to Fiachua mac Baedain, wlio a.d. 608. Bass Fiachrach cliraich mic 

fettered the hostages of Eri and Alba. Baedan la Cruithiiechu. — (Tigh. An.) 

Book of Lecan^ as quoted in Irish ^ a.d. 717. Expulsio familiae le trans 

Nennius, Ixxii, dorsum Britannise a Nectano rege. 



J 



XXVlll INTRODUCTION. 

Prior to this date, it was exclusively occupied by people 
of the race of the Cruithne, first Pagan under native Magi, 
then Christian, and for 150 years under clergy of Scot- 
tish race, who were, however, driven out in the year 717. 
Either then these Cruithne spoke a GaeHc dialect, or, if 
they spoke a different language, we must suppose that 
the language of Gaelic Dalriada had, subsequently to the 
ninth century, spread, with the rule of a Scottish king, 
over the whole of the Highlands not embraced in that 
limited territory. We have no materials for determining 
this question. The latter supposition has always been 
assumed by the Irish historians, but without proof ; and 
they have never attempted to account for the entire dis- 
appearance of the previous language, and the exj)ulsion 
of the previous population of so extensive a district, so 
mountainous and inaccessible in its character, and so 
tenacious of the language of its early inhabitants in its 
topography, which such a theory involves. 

If the first supposition be the correct one, and the 
Cruithne spoke a Gaelic dialect, we can easily understand 
how, though originally different from the Gaelic dialect 
of Dalriada, it may, by the influence of the written lan- 
guage, and its vernacular use by their clergy for so long 
a period, have become modified and assimilated to it ; 
and if, as is probable, their dialect had been so far cul- 
tivated, as the existence of popular poetry, the first 
literature of a rude people, was calculated to effect, the 
influence of the clergy would probably be antagonistic 
to such literature, and be employed to suppress it ; and 



INTRODUCTION. XXlX 

the language in which it was conveyed might remain for 
some time in opposition to the written language, as a 
vernacular and popular form of the language, the type 
and symbol of the anti-Christian party, till it was finally 
amalgamated with, or assimilated to it as the party 
itself was ultimately overcome. 

But another event had taken place during this ob- 
scure period, extending to little more than a century, and 
in which the union of the two populations under a Scottish 
royal race had been effected, which must have inter- 
posed an obstacle to the spread of an influence from 
Ireland into the nondalriadic portion of the Highlands, 
and greatly counteracted that arising from a dominant 
royal family of Scottish descent. This was the destruc- 
tion of lona by the Scandinavian pirates, and their 
subsequent occupation of the Western Isles and 
western sea-board of Scotland. Towards the end of 
the eighth century, these hordes of Vikings or 
sea robbers, issuing from Norway and Denmark, had 
appeared in the western sea, ravaging and plunder- 
ing the coasts and islands, and their course was 
everywhere marked by the burning and sacking of the 
monasteries and religious establishments. In 794, the 
ravaging of the islands and the destruction of lona by 
these Gentiles, as they were termed, is recorded in the 
Irish annals. In 802, the Monastery of lona was burnt 
by them, and in 806 the community or family of lona, 
as it was termed, slain, to the number of sixty-eight. In 
consequence of the insecurity of lona, the abbot even- 



XXX INTRODUCTION. 

tually retired to Kells, another foundation of St. Columba, 
and the reliques of St. Columba were subsequently taken 
to Ireland, when Derry became the head of the Colum- 
bian houses in Ireland, while a part of the reliques were 
removed to Dunkeld, which represented the Columbian 
clergy in Scotland. The influence of lona, as the nucleus 
and centre of Gaelic learning, and of its Scottish clergy 
upon the population of the Highlands, thus ceased for ever. 
The islands were, by degrees, occupied by these pirates, 
till eventually the Norwegian Kingdom of Man and 
the Isles was formed ; and after they had passed over 
from Paganism to Christianity, and their power be- 
came constituted, the bishopric of the Isles became 
included in the Norwegian diocese of Man. During 
this period, which lasted till the middle of the 
twelfth century, while the Western Isles and the western 
shores of the mainland were in the occupation of the 
Norwegians, and a royal family of Scottish race was on 
the throne of the united population, aU that remained 
intact of the Gaelic population of the Highlands was 
mainly represented by the great province of Moray, 
which contained the mainland part of the modern coun- 
ties of Inverness and Eoss, and whose chiefs or maormors 
are found, during the whole of this period, maintaining 
a struggle for local independence against the ruHng 
powers, whether Scottish or Saxon, till they were finally 
suppressed in the year 11 3 by the great battle in which 
Angus, the Celtic Earl of Moray, was defeated and slain 
by David the First. 



INTRODUCTION. XXXI 

The Norwegian Kingdom of Man and the Isles was 
now approaching its fall, and a new power arose on the 
ruins of that of the Maormors of Moray, which soon 
became paramount in the Western Highlands, and 
exercised a very different influence upon its language and 
population. This was the dynasty of the Celtic kings 
or Lords of the Isles, which took its rise under Somarled, 
the founder of the race in the twelfth century, and 
maintained a powerful sway in the West Highlands 
till the Lord of the Isles was forfeited at the close of 
the fifteenth century ; and, after several ineffectual 
attempts to maintain their ground against the Govern- 
ment, finally feU in the middle of the succeeding 
century. 

Whether the race of the Lords of the Isles was of 
Irish descent or not, is a question which depends upon 
the precise degree of credibility to be given to a Celtic 
pedigree which reaches back to the beginning of the 
fourth century ; but certain it is, that the spirit and ten- 
dency of the whole race was essentially Irish. The 
history of Somarled, the founder of the family, who may, 
from female connexion, have possessed a Norwegian 
name, is quite incompatible with the idea of his repre- 
senting a Norwegian house, or deriving his position by 
inheritance from them. The names of his father Gilla- 
bride, and his grandfather Gillaagamnan, are purely 
Celtic. The interest of his family was antagonistic to 
that of the Norwegians ; their efforts were to supplant 
and drive them out, and to elevate a Gaelic kingdom 



li 



XXXll INTRODUCTION. 

upon their ruins. In the foundation of this kingdom, 
Irish aid and Irish interest entered largely, and the con- 
nexion of the family with Ireland became always more and 
more closely connected, — an influence and connexion 
extending to the powerful Celtic families who rose under 
their auspices and owned their sway. 

Somarled, the founder of the race, first appears in his- 
tory as regulus or petty king of Oirirgaidheal, or, as it is 
given in the Irish form, Airergaidheal, and, in the Latin, 
Argathelia, a name which had sprung up subsequently 
to the ninth century, signifying the coast-lands of the 
Gael, and embracing the entire west coast from Cowall 
to Loch Broom. 

To this district he must have had hereditary claims ; 
and an ancient senuachy of the race thus details the steps 
by which he recovered possession of it :- - 

Gilkbride, tlie son of Gillaagamnau, the son and grandson of the 
Toiseach of Argyll, and descendant of Colla, being amongst his kindred 
in Ireland, the clan Colla, that is, tlie Macguires and Macmahons, held j 
a great meeting and assembly in Fermanagh, the country of Macguire, j 
regarding the affairs of Gil]abride, how they miglit restore him to his ' 
patrimony, from which he had been driven by the power of the Loch- 
lans and Finngalls. When Gillabride saw such a large body of men 
assembled together, he besought them to embark in his cause, 
and to assist the people of Alban, who were favourable to him 
in an attempt to win back the possession of the country. The 
people declared themselves willing to go, and four or five hundred put 
themselves under his command. With this company Gillabride pro- 
ceeded to Alban, and landing there, commenced a series of skirmishes 
and sudden assaults, with the assistance of friends, for his name was 
then very powerful. The Lochlans possessed the islands from Man to 



INTRODUCTION. XXXIU 

the Orkneys ; but the Gael retained possession of the woods and moun- 
tains in the districts, extending from Dumbarton to Caithness, north of 
the two oirirs,^ and in Mar. Somarled, the son of Gillabride, was now 
becoming manly and illustrious, and a band attached themselves to him, 
who had possession of the hills and woods of Ardgowar and Morvaren. 
Here he came upon a large army of Lochlans and Fingalls, and as- 
sembled round him all the soldiers he could muster and the people 
engaged in herding the flocks, and ranged them in order of battle. He 
practised a great deception on his enemies, for he made the same com- 
pany pass before them three times, so that it appeared to them as if 
there were three companies, and then attacked them. The enemy were 
broken by Somarled and fled, till they reached the north bank of the 
river Shiell, and part escaped with their king to the Isles. Somarled 
did not desist from his efforts till he had cleared the whole west side of 
Alban from the Lochlans, except the islands of the Finnlochlans, called 
Innsegall. 

Having married the daugliter of Olave tlie Eed, the 
Norwegian king of Man and the Isles, he succeeded in 
1154 in obtaining one-half of the Western Isles for his 
eldest son DougaU, the ancestor of the M'Dougalls, Lords 
of Lorn, in right of his mother. The portion of the 
Isles thus added to the Gaelic kingdom of Oirirgaidheal 
were those south of the point of Ardnamnrchan, includ- 
ing MuU, Isla, and Jm^a. Ten years afterwards, in 1164, 
I he showed stiU further his close relation with Ireland, 
I by placing the Monastery of lona under the Abbacy of 
! Derry, and in the same year he was slain in Eenfrew, in 
an attempt which he made to subvert the Scottish throne 
itself, with Irish assistance. His successors remained in 
possession of this territory, consisting of Oirirgaidheal, or 

1 The two oirira were the Oirir a tuath district known as Oirir Gaedheal, or 
and the Oirir a deas, which make up the Oirir Alban, and in Latin, Argathelia. 

d 



li' 



XXXiv INTEODUCTION. 

the western districts, from Cowall to Loch Broom, and 
the southern half of the Isles, till 1222, when Alexander 
the Second took possession of ArgatheHa., and annexed 
the north part of it to the earldom of Eoss, and the 
central portion to the district of Moray, leaving the dis- 
tricts of Morvaren and Garwmorvaren, and parts of South 
Argyll, with the south half of the Isles, to the descend- 
ants of Somarled. On the conquest of the Norwegian 
kingdom of Man and the Isles by the King of Scotland 
in 1266, Skye and Lewis were annexed to the earldom of 
Eoss, the rest of the Isles went to Somarled s family, their 
possessions were further increased by grants from Eobert 
Bruce, and in the end of the fourteenth century they 
inherited the possessions of the earldom of Eoss, by which 
they regained possession of the Oirir a tuath. A petty 
kingdom was thus formed, consisting of Argathelia, or 
the western districts, from Cowall to Loch Broom and 
the Western Isles, nominally subordinate to the Scottish 
throne, but in reality all powerful among the population 
of the Highlands ; the clans of the centre and north High- 
lands, which had once looked up to the almost equally 
powerful Maormors of Moray, alone representing a differ- 
ent interest. 

The marriage of the Lord of the Isles, the head of thisj 
race, with a daughter of the great Irish house of O'Cathan, 
princes of an extensive territory in the north of Ireland, 
towards the close of the thirteenth century, still further 
cemented the connexion with Ireland. Tradition re- 
cords that twenty-four famihes followed this lady from 



INTEODUCTION. XXX V 

Ulster to the Scottish Highlands, and founded as many- 
houses there, and, in the subsequent century, a scion of 
the House of the Isles acquired land in the north of Ire- 
land, and founded the Antrim family. In aU. the Irish 
wars this race took generally a part, and, in their 
own wars at home, were rarely without assistance from 
Ireland. 

The struggle between this great Celtic family and the 
Crown assumed an aspect at length which could only 
terminate in the ruin of the former or the humiliation of 
the latter, and at length resulted in the forfeiture of the 
Lord of the Isles in 1478, and his subsequent submission, 
when he resigned his hereditary Celtic title, and received 
in exchange the feudal dignity of Lord of the Isles ; a 
humiliation which gave deep offence to his subjects, and 
was not acquiesced in by them, and produced such in- 
ternal dissensions, that the Crown took advantage of them 
to enforce the final forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles 
in the year 1493. A series of insurrections followed in 
favour of the descendants of the forfeited Lord, which 
finally terminated in the utter extinction of the kingdom 
of the Isles in the year 1545. 

During this period, which extends to nearly four cen- 
turies, there was not only a close political connexion 
between the Western Highlands and Islands and Ireland, 
but the literary influence was equally close and strong ; 
the Irish sennachies and bards were heads of a school 
which included the West Highlands, and the Highland 
sennachies were either of Irish descent, or, if of native 



XXXVl INTRODUCTION. 

origin; resorted to bardic schools in Ireland for instruc- 
tion in the language and the accomplishments of their 
art. 

The annals of the four masters record the following 
Irish sennachies as being recognised masters in the High- 
lands : — 

In 1185 died Maclosa O'Daly, oUav, or chief sage or 
poet of Erin and Alban ; a man illustrious for his poetry, 
hospitality, and nobility. 

In 1328 died the bhnd O'Carril, chief minstrel of 
Erin and Alban in his time. 

In 1448 died Tadg og, son of Tadg, son of Giolla- 
coluim O'Higgin, chief preceptor of the poets of Erin 
and Alban. 

In 1554 died Tadg, son of Aodh O'Coffey, chief 
teacher of poetry in Erin and Alban. 

The oldest of the Gaelic mss., preserved in the Library 
of the Faculty of Advocates, belong to this period. They 
are all written in the Irish character ; the language is the 
written language of Ireland ; and they contain numerous 
specimens of the poetry of these Irish masters, especially 
of Tadg og and the O'Dalys. 

The Betons, or, as their name was in Gaehc, Mac- 
bheatha, who were hereditary physicians in Isla and Mull, 
and who were also sennachies of the Macleans, were of 
Irish descent, being O'Neills, and are said by tradition to 
be one of the families who accompanied O'Cathan's daugh- 
ter to Scotland ; and many of these mss. belonged to 
them. The M'Vurichs, who were hereditary sennachies 



INTRODUCTION. XXXVll 

to Clanranald, were likewise of Irisli descent, and are said 
" to have received their education in Irish Colleges of 
poetry and writing." ^ Many of these MSS. were com- 
piled by them ; and the earliest are likewise written in 
the Irish character and idiom. The sennachies of the 
other great families, comprised within the dominions of 
the Lords of the Isles, appear likewise to have all resorted 
to Ireland for instruction and training in their art. 

A powerful influence must thus have been exercised 
upon the language and literature of the Highlands, which 
must have become by degrees more and more assimilated 
to that of Ireland ; and it may well be doubted whether, 
towards the close of this period, there existed the means 
of acquiring the art of writing the language except in 
Ireland, or the conception of a written and cultivated 
Kterature, which was not identified with its language and 
learning. 

We have no reason, however, to conclude, on that ac- 
count, that there was not a vernacular Gaelic, which pre- 
served many of the independent features of a native 
language, and existed among the people as a spoken 
dialect ; or that a popular and unwritten literature may 
not at the same time have existed in that native and 
idiomatic Gaelic in the poetry handed down by tradi- 
tion, or composed by native bards, innocent of all ex- 
traneous education in the written language of Ireland. 
It is, in fact, in poetry, or rather in popular ballad 
poetry, that the nervous and idiomatic vernacular of the 

1 Highland Society's Report, App. p. 6. 



XXXVm INTEODUCTION. 

people is usually preserved. Prose readily assimilates 
itself and succumbs to tlie influence of a cultivated and 
written language, but the tyranny of rhythm and metre 
preserves the language in which poetry is composed in 
its original form and idiom. ^ 

The fall of the great House of the Isles was coincident 
with another event, destined to effect a great change in 
the position of the Highland population and of their | 
literature. This was the Eeformation of the sixteenth 
century and its attendant events, the estabHshment of a 
Eeformed Church, the introduction of printing, and the 
translation of the Scriptures and religious works for the 
instruction of the people. i| 

From this source sprung up a religious literature, 
which, commencing in the written or Irish Gaehc, gra- 
dually approached nearer and nearer to the spoken dialect 
of the country, and, accompanied by the preaching of the 
clergy in the vernacular dialect, tended to preserve and 
stereotype the language spoken in the Highlands in its 
native form and idiom. 

The first printed book was a translation of the Form of 
Prayer issued by John Knox, which was made by John 
CarseweU, the Protestant Bishop of the Isles, and printed 
at "Dunedin darab comhainm Dunmonaidh,'' that is, at 
Dunedin or Edinburgh, otherwise called Dunmonaidh, 
24th April 1567. Bishop CarseweU was a native of 

^ Prose originally "wiitten in a ver- Burns, for instance, could not be writ- 

nacnlar dialect readily adapts itself to ten in English witlioiit sacrificing, to a 

the changes in the language, or passes great extent, the rhyme and cadence of 

into a new and cultivated form of it ; the verses, and almost entirely their 

but not so ballad poetry. The poems of nerve and power. 



,1 



INTEODUCTION. XXXIX 

Kilmartin, in the southern part of the country of Argyll. 
He prefixes to his translation an address, which is written 
in the Irish orthography, and in the pure Irish or written 
dialect. In it he says, that " we, the Gael of Alban and 
Erin, have laboured under the want that our dialects of 
the Gaelic have never been printed f and he alludes to 
the dialects of the language and to the manuscript litera- 
ture then existing, " written in manuscript books in the 
compositions of poets and ollaos, and in the remains of 
learned men," and characterizes them not unjustly as fuU 
of "lying, worldly stories concerning the Tuatha de 
Dannan, the sons of Milesius, the heroes, and Finn 
mac Cumhal with his Feine." 

The second printed book was a translation of Calvin's 
Catechism, which was published, along with an English 
edition, in 1631. This translation seems likewise to have 
been made in Argyllshire, and is in the Irish orthography 
and idiom. 

In 1659, the Presbyterian Synod of ArgyU took up 
the work of issuing translations into Gaelic of the 
metrical Psalms and of the Scriptures, and commenced 
with a portion of the Psalter, which was completed in 
1694. This also is in the Irish dialect ; but, in 1753, an 
amended version was published by the Rev. Alexander 
Macfarlane, minister of Kilninver and Kiimelford, who 
had previously, in 1750, published a translation into 
Gaelic of Baxter's Call to the Unconverted, adapted to 
the Gaelic of the central and north Highlands ; and, in 
1787, another version was issued by Dr. J. Smith, 



Xl INTEODUCTION. 

minister of Kilbrandon, and afterwards of Campbell- 
town, who had in 1781 translated Aheine's Alarm into 
Gaelic, and in this version the north country words 
and Irishisms were thrown out, and the metre suited 
to the west country dialect ; and, finally, in 1 8 7, an 
edition of the Psalter was pubhshed by Thomas Eoss 
for the use of the northern districts, in which the Irish 
words, uninteUigible to them, are explained at the 
bottom of the page by synonymous words used in that 
part of the Highlands. 

In 1690, the first Bible was pubhshed for the use of 
the Highlands. It was simply an edition of the Irish 
version of the Bible, by the Eev. Eobert Kirke, minister 
of Balquhidder, to which he appended a short vocabu- 
lary. 

In 1767, the first translation of the New Testament 
was published. It was translated by the Eev. James 
Stewart of Kilhn. It was then considered as pure 
Scotch Gaelic, and free from Irish idiom ; and, in 1796, 
it was revised and altered by his son. Dr. Stewart of 
Luss. In 1783, a translation of the Old Testament was 
undertaken by the Society for Propagating Christian 
Knowledge in Scotland, and completed in 1787, and 
various editions subsequently appeared. In 1816, a 
memorial was presented to the General Assembly of 
the Church, urging the necessity of a final revision of 
the Gaelic Scriptures, and a committee of the best 
Gaelic scholars appointed to superintend it, under whose 
auspices an amended edition was pubhshed of the Old 



I 



INTRODUCTION. xli 

Testament in 1820, and of the whole Scriptures in 1826, 
which may now be considered as the standard of the 
orthography and idiom of the Scotch Gaelic. 

It will be seen that the earlier printed books emanated 
entirely from Argyllshire, where the spoken dialect ap- 
proaches more nearly to the Irish ; and the work of 
translating and publishing the Psalter and Scriptures 
into GaeHc being a new and difficult task, the translators 
resorted to Ireland and to the written and cultivated 
dialect of the Irish as the medium through which to 
convey it ; but as subsequent editions were issued, they 
were brought more and more near to the spoken lan- 
guage of the Scotch Highlands in its purest form and 
idiom, and the Irish orthography by degrees adapted to 
it, tiU at length the Scotch Gaelic became clothed in that 
orthography in which we now find it, and elevated to the 
position of a written and cultivated language. 

Throughout the whole of this period, however, there 
existed, side by side with this printed religious literature, 
another literature in the popular poetry of the unculti- 
vated native bards, removed from the influence of Irish 
training, whose compositions were expressed in the pure 
idiom of the spoken dialect ; and in the poems of Ian 
Lom, the Lochaber poet of the Wars of Montrose ; Dun- 
can Ban Macintyre, whose exquisite poem of Bendoran is 
a beautiful specimen of pure Gaelic, and whose poems 
were printed in 1778 ; Ailen Buidhe Macdougall, W. 
Ross, and Allan Dall Macdougall — all natives of the 
central districts of the Highlands, — we find ample evi- 



xlii INTEODUCTTON. 

dence of the existence and character of a vernacular 
dialect, in which the people interchanged their homely 
ideas, and their favourite bards composed their poems 
which found an immediate access to the hearts and ima- 
gination of the people ; while the language in which their 
scriptures and formularies were conveyed was looked 
upon as a sort of sacred dialect, through which they re- 
ceived their religious teaching. 

There was thus, throughout, a double influence exercised 
upon the language and literature of the Highlands. One 
from Ireland, which was associated with the written and 
cultivated dialect of Gaelic which had there been formed, 
and brought over with Christianity to Scotland. With 
it came the Irish orthography. It was mainly connected 
with learning and religious teaching, and its influence 
was most powerful in the western districts and islands, 
and the territories subject to the power of the Lord of 
the Isles. The other, indigenous and antagonistic to it, 
falling back upon a hterary influence from the south and 
east, when not predominant, and associated more with 
the popular poetry of the Highlands. Its orthography 
seems to have resembled that of the other Celtic lan- 
guages, the Welsh and the Manx ; and its influence pre- 
vailed in the central and north Highlands, where the 
best and purest type of the Scotch Gaelic is still to be 
found. ^ j 

^ Mr. Donald Macintosh, the Keeper Fernaig has a paper MS., written in the' 

of the Highland Society's Mss., in his Roman character, and in an orthography 

list of MSS. then existing in Scotland in like that of the Dean of Lismore, con- 

1806, mentions that " Mr. Matheson of taining songs and hymns, some by 



INTEODUCTION. xliii 

The literary history of the Highlands falls into periods 
as these influences respectively prevailed. 

The first period is prior to the seventh century, when 
there was no political separation between Ireland and 
Gaelic Scotland. The great divisions of the people were 
regulated by race rather than by geographical distribu- 
tion. The Cruithne everywhere were united by common 
origin and ties of race ; and the Scots, wherever settled, 
owned the Milesian Ardrigh in Ireland. The countries 
were simply viewed as the east and the west, and were 
known as Erin andAlban,and the communication between 
them was free and unrestrained. The second period com- 
mences with the separation of the Scotch Dalriada from the 
Irish in 573, and of the Irish Cruithne from the present 
race, some thirty years later, when a poHtical as well as 
a geographical separation between the Celtic tribes of the 
two countries took place ; but, for upwards of a century 
afterwards, the church and clergy of the Highlands were 
Irish, and the written Irish dialect imported by them 
must still have remained in use, and exercised its accus- 
tomed influence on the spoken language. 

After the expulsion of the Scotch clergy in 717, a 
period of great obscurity in the history of Scotland occurs, 
extending to nearly a century and a half, during which 
the ecclesiastical influence exercised was from the south, 
taking its origin from the Anglic kingdom of Northum- 
bria ; some revolution also took place, which placed a 

Bishop Carsewell." This MS. has not ed to Ireland for his prose translation of 
been recovered ; bnt if we had it, we Knox's Liturgy, his original poetry was 
might find that, while the Bishop resort- in a difterent dialect and orthography. 



xliv INTRODUCTION. 

Scottish royal family upon the throne of a kingdom con- 
sisting of the united tribes situated to the north of the! 
Forth and Clyde. But during the same period another' 
event took, place, of great significance in the literary his- 
tory of the country ; the Monastery of Icholumkill or i 
lona, the time-honoured seat of Gaelic learning, went 
down amidst the troubled waters of Scandinavian piracy, 
and its position, as head of the learning and rehgion of 
the country, was gone for ever. 

During the fourth period, which lasted for three hun- 
dred years, the Norwegian kingdom of Man and the 
Isles, which Hkewise embraced the western seaboard of 
the Highlands, interposed itself between the Highlands 
and Ireland ; and the influence from the latter country 
must for the time have been paralysed, while the indi- 
genous and native influence maintained itself in the 
extensive Higlfland province of Moray. 

At the close of this period we have a hint of the 
existence of an Albanic dialect of Gaelic in the Life of 
St. Kentigern, first Bishop of Glasgow, by Jocelyn, the 
biographer also of St. Patrick, who wrote in the year 1180. 
He says that the name of Kentigern was justly given 
to one who might be called their dominus capitaneus ; 
" nam hen caput Latine, tyern A Ibanice, dominus Latine 
interpretatur." This is nearly a phonetic orthography, 
and not unHke that of the Dean of Lismore's ms. In 
Irish orthography the words would be cend, signifying 
caput, or a head ; tigerna, dominus, or lord ; but in pro- 
nunciation the d in cend is quiescent, and the aspirated 



INTEOBUCTION. xlv 

g in tigerna, so that the sound is exactly represented 
even as now pronounced. Jocelyn seems to recognise 
the existence of a native dialect designated by A Ihanice ; 
and one of the peculiarities of Scotch Gaelic is also 
present in the omission of the final a from the word 
tigerna.^ 

The fate of the great Celtic earldom of Moray, and 
the decay of the Norwegian power in the Isles, was fol- 
lowed by the powerful sway of the Celtic Lords of the 
Isles, who, during the fifth period, extending from three 
to four centuries, were dominant in the western dis- 
tricts ; and, as far as their sway extended, the spirit, 
influence, and literature were all Irish, and it was only 
when the faU of the almost independent kingdom of the 
Isles, and the Eeformation again separated the country 
from Ireland, that a reaction towards the vernacular 
and spoken Scotch Gaelic took place, which has resulted 
in a clear development of its grammatical rules and 
construction, and the establishment of a fixed ortho- 
graphy. 

It was at the close of the fifth period, during which 
the Lords of the Isles were all-powerful in the west, 
and just before the middle of the sixteenth century 
ushered in the Eeformation, that the collection, of which 
selections are now published, was made by the Yicar of 
Fortingal, who was also Dean of Lismore. It is a col- 

1 In the older life of St. Kentigern, cur fir sin, quod sonat Latine -atinam 

written prior to 1164, it is said that sic esset." In modern Scotch Gaelic the 

Servanus, at Culross, when he heard of phrase would be, A dhia gurfior sin. 
Kentigern's birth, exclaimed, " A dia 



i 



xlvi INTRODUCTION. 

lection, formed upwards of three hundred years ago, 
from all quarters, and presents to us a specimen of the 
literature which was current in the Highlands during 
this period. There are poems by the Irish bards, whose 
schools extended also to the Highlands, by the O'Dalys, 
who lived during the fifteenth century ; by Teague og 
O'Higgin, who died in 1448 ; by Dermod O'Hiffernan ; 
and by Turn O'Meilchonaii^, OUav of the Sil Murray, who 
died in 1468. There are poems by Allan M'Euadrie and 
Gillecallum Mac an OUa, who seem to have been native 
bards ; by John of Knoydart, who celebrates the murder 
of the young Lord of the Isles by his Irish harper in 
1490 ; by Finlay M'Nab, called the Good Poet ; and by 
the transcriber of the greater part of the manuscript, 
Duncan, the Dean's brother, who wrote in praise of the 
McGregors. 

The great value of this collection, as regards the lan- 
guage, arises from the peculiar orthography used, which 
presents it as it must have been pronounced, and affords 
a means of testing one of the chief differences which 
characterize the different provincial dialects, the vowel 
and consonantal sounds, and the presence or absence of 
eclipsis and aspiration. 

It has been found impossible to print the whole of the 
contents of the MS., but the selection which has been 
made, chiefly with reference to the literature of the High- 
lands, win also afford a fair specimen of the shades of 
difference which characterized the language in which the 
poems are written. Some are in -puie Irish, and must 



INTRODUCTION. XlVll 

have been transferred from the Irish orthography into 
that used in the MS. Others are in pure Scotch Gaelic, 
as the poems, of Duncan, son of Dougall Maol, Finlay 
M'Nab, the bard roy, and John of Knoydart. Others are 
in a mixed dialect, in some of which the Irish idiom, 
in others the Scotch, predominates. 

In general, it will be found that the language ap- 
proaches more or less nearly to the Irish, as the v/riters 
appear to have had more or less cultivation in the writ- 
ten language, or were more or less removed from Irish 
influence ; and the MS. may be viewed as the only known 
record of those vernacular dialects of Gaelic in the six- 
teenth century which differed in any degree from the 
written and cultivated language. 

But while the Dean of Lismore's MS. has in this re- 
spect a philological value, it has likewise no mean 
literary value, from the circumstance that it contains no 
fewer than twenty-eight Ossianic poems, extending to up- 
wards of 2500 lines, nine directly attributed to Ossian, 
two to Farris or Ferghus Filidh, and one to Caolte 
M'Eonan, the three bards of the Feine ; two to Allan 
M'Euadri, and one to GiUecallum Mac an OUa, bards 
hitherto unknown ; and eleven poems, Ossianic in their 
style and subject, to which no author's name is attached. 

The circumstances under which the controversy re- 
garding the authenticity of the poems of Ossian, pub- 
lished by James Macpherson, arose, and the extent to 
which it for the time agitated the minds of the literati 
of England and Scotland, are well known. 



I 



xlviii INTRODUCTION. 

In tile summer of 1759, Mr. John Home, the author 
of Douglas, met Mr. James Macpherson, then a tutor in 
the family of Graham of Balgowan, at Moffat. Mr. Home 
had previously been told by Professor Adam Fergusson, 
a native of Atholl, and acquainted with Graelic, that 
there existed in the country some remains of ancient 
GaeHc poetry. Mr. Home mentioned the circumstance I 
to James Macpherson, also a Highlander, and a native of 
Badenoch, and was told by him that he had some pieces 
of ancient Gaelic poetry in his possession. After some 
difficulty, Mr. Home obtained translations of them from 
Macpherson, and took them to Edinburgh, and showed 
the translations to Drs. Blair, Fergusson, and Eobertson, 
by whom they were much admired. Macpherson was 
importuned to translate all he had, and the translations 
furnished by him were pubHshed in a little volume in 
June 1760, under the title of "Fragments of Ancient 
Poetry collected in the Highlands of Scotland." 

There seems little reason to doubt that these transla- 
tions were made from genuine fragments in Macpherson's 
possession. If they existed at all, they were in his pos- 
session before any talk had arisen of translating Gaelic 
poetry. There was no pretext of going to the Highlands 
to collect them. There was no idea, at the time the 
translations were produced, that such poetry could have 
any value in the eyes of the literary world, and there 
seems no motive for any deception. In the frag- 
ments, or rather short poems, contained in this little 
work, the proper names are smoothed do^vn from their 



INTRODUCTION. xlix 

original Gaelic form to suit English ears ; and Mac- 
pherson had already hit upon that happy prose version, 
the conception of which has great merit, and had no Httle 
share in the popularity which immediately attached to 
them ; but, in other respects, they have every appearance 
of having been translations from short Gaelic poems 
which really existed. The admiration which they ex- 
cited in the minds of men of the great literary reputa- 
tion of Home, Blair, Fergusson, and Eobertson, must 
have first astonished, and then greatly flattered, a man of 
the disposition of Macpherson. He was urged to under- 
take a journey to the Highlands, to collect all that 
remained of poetry of this description, and a subscrip- 
tion was raised to defray the expense. This proposal 
must have raised a prospect sufficiently dazzhng before 
the poor Highland tutor, who seemed likely to exchange 
a life of poverty, obscurity, and irksome duty, for one 
of comparative independence and literary fame ; and 
he acceded to it with afiected reluctance. At that time, 
anything like that spirit of severe and critical anti- 
quarianism, which attaches the chief value to the rehcs 
of past ages from their being genuine fragments of a 
past Hterature, and demands a rigid and literal ad- 
herence to the form and shape in which they are found, 
was totally unknown. That feeling is the creation of 
subsequent times. At that time literary excellence was 
mainly looked to, their authority was usually taken on 
trust, and it was thought that the claims of such criti- 
cism were sufliciently satisfied when the remains of the 

e 



1 INTRODUCTION. 

past were woven into an elegant and flowing narrative. 
"With Homer and other classical epics before him, such 
a proposal as the publication of the ancient poetry of the 
Highlands, assuming, as we now know to be the fact, 
that Ossianic poetry of some kind did exist, and looking 
to the high expectations formed, must have at once 
suggested to him the idea that he should not do justice 
to the task he had undertaken if he could not likewise 
produce a GaeHc epic. This idea seems early to have 
suggested itself to Macpherson's mind ; it is obscurely 
hinted at in the preface to the Fragments ; and Mac- 
pherson seems to have started on his tour with the pre- 
conceived determination to view any short poems and 
fragments he might find as parts of longer poems, and, 
if possible, by welding them together, to produce a 
national epic which should do honour to his country, 
and confirm his own reputation as its recoverer and 
translator. He was accompanied, in the earlier part of 
his journey, by a countryman of his own, Mr. LachlanI 
Macpherson of Strathmashie, who was a better Gaelic 
scholar than he was himself, and an excellent Gaelic poet. 
It is certain that, in this tour, a number of mss. were 
collected by them, and poetry taken down from recita- 
tion ; and that he was joined in it by another Gaelic j 
scholar, Captain Alexander Morrison, who likewise as-' 
sisted him. On his return, he proceeded to Badenoch, 
liis native place and that of Lachlan Macpherson, and 
here he remained till January 1761, engaged, with the^ 
assistance of Lachlan Macpherson and Alexander Mor- 



INTRODUCTION. li 

risen, in preparing the materials for thd next publication 
of Ossian ; and then proceeded to Edinburgh, from 
whence he writes to the Eev. James M'Lagan, in a 
letter dated 16th January 1761, — "I have been lucky 
enough to lay my hands on a pretty complete poem, 

and truly epic, concerning Fingal I have some 

thoughts of publishing the original, if it will not clog 
the work too much." 

His task, whatever it was, had then been accomplished ; 
and after remaining some time in Edmburgh, engaged in 
preparing the English version for the press, he went to 
London, and early in 1762* issued a quarto volume, con- 
taining the epic poem of Fingal, in six books, and sixteen 
other poems. In the following year another quarto ap- 
peared, containing another epic poem in eight books, 
called Temora, and five other poems. This volume also 
contained what was called " a specimen of the original of 
Temora," being a Gaelic version of the seventh book, and 
the only Gaelic bearing to be the original of any of the 
poems which appeared. 

The English version, contained in these two quartos, 
possessed the same character as the English of the Frag- 
ments ; the same accommodation of the Gaelic proper 
names to the supposed requirements of English ears, and 
the prose style, originated by Macpherson, sustained with 
equal spirit ; the poems, however, were longer, and more 
elaborate. 

The literary public, who had welcomed the Fragments 
with admiration, received the volume containing the 



lii INTRODUCTION. 

epic of Fingal with startled but silent acquiescence, and 
exploded under the eight books of Temora. It seemed 
incredible that poems such as these could have been 
handed down by oral recitation from the supposed age of 
Ossian ; the refined manners described, and the allusions 
to the Roman Emperors, awakened suspicion, and a 
storm of adverse criticism and questioning incredulity 
arose, in which Dr. Johnson — at that time in the zenith 
of his reputation — took the lead. 

Macpherson, who found the fair breeze of flattery and 
laudation, before which he had been sailing so smoothly 
on his heavy quartos, without a suspicion that he had not 
attained the full success he aimed at, so suddenly changed 
into an adverse storm of criticism and depreciation, knew 
not how to meet the crisis. He had not courage to avow 
the truth, and state candidly to the world how much of his 
work was based on original authority, and to what ex- 
tent he had carried the process of adapting, interpolating, 
and weaving into epic poems. He took refuge first in 
sulky silence, and eventually seemed to find a sort of 
compensation for his denunciation, as a detected forger, 
in the necessary alternative, the credit of having been a 
successful composer, and by half hints encouraged that 
view.^ 

The journey wliich Dr. Johnson took to the Hebrides, 

1 In 1778 and 1780 a collection of Ossi- Library. There is appended to it a list 

anic poems, in the original Gaelic, was of the persons from whose recitations the 

made by Duncan Kennedy, schoolmaster. poems Avere taken down. 

His MS. collection was purchased by In 1780, Dr. Smith, of Campbellton, 

the Highland Society, and is now in the published a quarto volume, entitled 

collection of mss. in the Advocates' Gaelic Antiquities, containing versions 



INTRODUCTION. liii 

in order to examine the question, and of his Journal 
of which, one passage seems to have adhered to men s 
recollections almost as pertinaciously as that of Ossian's 
Address to the Sun did to the Highland reciters of his 
poems— the celebrated description of lona — was not likely 
to do much in the way of solving the question. 

A man of the obstinate prejudices and overbearing 
temper of Dr. Johnson, with a firm belief that no Ossi- 
anic poems really existed, and that Gaelic was not a 
written -language, with an entire ignorance of that 
language, and a colossal 'reputation as a critic, bursting 
suddenly among the frightened Highland ministers, who 
believed in him, and trembled before him, could hardly 
return with any other result than that he had found no 
poems of Ossian, and no one bold enough to avow, in his 
presence, that he believed in their existence ; and most 
men now subsided into the conviction that the whole 

in English of poems attributed to Ossian, all of these collectors of Ossianic poems 
Ullinj etc. ; and in 1787 the originals were showed to be supposed capable of compos- 
published under the title of Sean Dana. ing them, and thus to acqiiire literary 

Unhappily, Dr. Smith, instead of pub- credit at the expense of their honesty, laid 

lishing the poems as he got them, with a claim to the authorship of part of them, 

literal English version, was ambitious and furnished the Highland Society with 

of shining, like Macpherson, as an edi- a statement of those parts of the poems 

tor of Ossian, and of sharing in his no- he had really taken down from recitation, 

toriety; but the poems of the latter had and those he claimed to have composed, 

already lost their lustre, and Smith did It is strange that the passages he 

not possess the wonderful tact and claimed as his own composition are just 

originality Macpherson really showed those which have been most clearly esta- 

in producing his English version, and blishcd to be genuine, 

which alone made them bearable ; his Thus, lines which Kennedy marked 

version' was diffuse, heavy, and turgid, as his own composition, are found rer6a- 

B,nd. his book fell dead from the press. tivi in the Dean's MS. 

The Sean Dana showed that he had I believe that there was little or no 

largely made use of Kennedy's collec- truth in Kennedy's assertion, which was 

tion. dictated by vanity, and that his collec- 

Kennedy, with the strange desire that tion is, on the whole, genuine. 



liv INTRODUCTION. 

tiling was an imposture, an opinion embodied and ela- 
borately worked out by Malcolm Laing. 

This led to the Highland Society of Scotland under- 
taking an inquiry into the authenticity of the poems of 
Ossian published by Macpherson, which involved the 
subsidiary inquiry of whether such poems existed in the 
Highlands in the original Gaehc. The result of this in- 
quiry is contained in the elaborate report prepared by 
Henry Mackenzie, the author of the Man of Feehng, and 
pubhshed in 1806. 

The inquiry was conducted with much candour. The 
committee were aided by receiving from Mr. John Mac- 
kenzie, Secretary of the Highland Society of London, 
and executor of Mr. James Macpherson, aU the Gaehc 
MSS. in his possession, including those w^hich Macpherson 
had left behind him ; and they resorted to every means 
within their reach to obtain information. 

The whole of the materials for forming a judgment 
which they had collected were placed impartially before 
the public ; and the subject, so far as such materials then 
existed or were at their command, is reaUy exhausted by 
this report. 

The committee were cautious in giving an opinion, 
but the result they arrived at seems to have been — 

1st, That the characters introduced into Macpherson's 
poems were not invented, but were reaUy the subjects of 
tradition in the Highlands ; and that poems certainly 
existed which might be called Ossianic, as relating to the 
persons and events of that mythic a^'e. 



INTEODUCTION. Iv 

2d, That such poems, though usually either entire 
poems of no very great length, or fragments, had been 
handed down from an unknown period by oral recita- 
tion, and that there existed many persons in the High- 
lands who could repeat them. 

2>d, That such poems had likewise been committed to 
writing, and were to be found to some extent in mss. 

4:th, That Macpherson had used many such poems in 
his work ; but by joining separated pieces together, and 
by adding a connecting narrative of his own, had woven 
them into longer poems, and into the so-called epics. 

No materials existed, however, to show the extent to 
which this process had been carried, and the amount of 
genuine matter the poems, as published by Macpherson, 
contained.^ 

^ A comparison of the poems iu the The sixth and twelfth fragments con- 
Fragments, with those in the first tain dialogues between the poet and the 
quarto, containing the epic of Fingal, son of Alpine. This was no doubt, iu 
shows indications of the mode in which the original, the usiial dialogue between 
Macpherson dealt Avith his materials. Ossian and Patrick, always called in 

There are sixteen poems in the Frag- Scotch Gaelic poems Macalpine. The 

ments, all short ; and some bearing the sixth fragment appears also in the 

usual mark of a complete poem, by the quarto, in the so-called Epic of Fingal ; 

first line being repeated at the end. but the dialogue is omitted, and the 

Thus, the second fragment begins translation greatly altered, 
with the sentence, " I sit by the mossy To the fourteenth fragment there is 
fountain; on the top of the hill of appended the following note:— ''This 
winds." And the same expression is is the opening of the epic poem men- 
introduced at the end — " By the mossy tioned in the preface. The two follow- 
foimtain I will sit ; on the top of the ing fragments are parts of some episodes 
hill of winds ;" marking a complete of the same work," and they accordingly 
poem. appear in the quarto, in the epic poem 

The first and fourth fragments Ave of Fingal. 

find in the quarto volume, containing The fourteenth fragment, however, 

Fingal, forming part of a longer poem relates to Cuchullin alone ; and in those 

termed Carrickthura, and here they are tales and poems Avhich we know to be 

joined together by intermediate passages genuine, Cuchullin and Fingal are 

of some length, evidently interpolated never brought together. 

by Macpherson. Macpherson seems, at this stage of 



Ivi INTKODUCTION. 

Such was the result to which the committee appeared 
to come, and which may fairly be deduced from this 
inquiry ; all intelligent inquirers seemed now to adopt 
this result, and the unbiassed public generally acquiesced 
in it, — the only difference of opinion being as to the 
greater or less extent to which Macpherson carried his 
process of adaptation and amalgamation. 

The publication in 1806 of what was called the 
original Gaelic of Ossian, did not affect this conclusion, 
or tend to alter the general acquiescence of the public in 
it. Instead of consisting of genuine extracts from old 
MSS., or copies of pieces taken down from oral recitation, 
it proved to be a complete version in Gaelic poetry of 
the English version transcribed under James Macpher- 
son's eye, and left by him in a state for publication. It 
was a smooth and polished version in Gaelic verse of the 
entire poems, in the same shape as they were presented 
in English, and written in the modern Gaelic of that 
time. 

It is very difficult, however, to believe that this Gaelic 
version had been composed subsequently to the pubhca- 
tion of the English Ossian, and translated from it. To 
any one capable, from a knowledge of GaeHc, of judg- 
ing, such a theory seems almost impossible ; and it is 
difficult to acquiesce in it. A review of all the circum- 
stances which have been allowed to transpire regarding 
the proceedings of James Macpherson, seems rather to 

his collection, to have conceived the idea chiillin and Fingal in the same trans- 
of weaving the short poems into one actions, betrays its artificial constnic- 
epic ; but his unskilful junction of Cu- tion. 



INTEODUCTION. Ivii 

lead to the conclusion that the Gaelic version, in the 
shape in which it was afterwards pnbHshed, had been 
prepared in Badenoch, during the months Macpherson 
passed there, after his return from his Highland tour, with 
the assistance of Lachlan Macpherson of Strathmashie, 
and Captain Morrison, and that the English translation 
was made from it by Macpherson in the same manner in 
which he had translated the fragments, — a conclusion 
which is the more probable, as, while James Macpherson s 
acquaintance with the language seems not to have been 
sufficiently complete to qualify him for such a task, 
there appears to be no doubt of the Laird of Strath- 
mashie's perfect ability to accomplish it.^ 

But while from " this date the controversy in England 
may be said to have terminated, with the exception of 

^ Some years ago I happened to On being pressed to say who this 

pass a couple of months in the imme- friend was, he says, " his name was 

diate neighbourhood of Strathmashie, Lachlane Macpherson of Strathmashy, 

and I recollect having been informed at He died in 1767." 

that time, bat by whom I cannot now This Gaelic version seems, therefore, to 

tell, that, after Lachlan Macpherson's have been put together before 1767 ; and 

death, a paper was found in his reposi- if before 1762, it will account for the 

tories containing the Gaelic of the seventh original of the seventh book of Temora 

book of Temora, in his handwriting, having been published in that year, 

with numerous corrections and altera- and also for an advertisement which 

tions, with this title, — " First rude draft appeared soon after the publication 

of the seventh book of Temora." of the second quarto, that the ori- 

Mr. Gallic sent to the Highland Society ginals were lying at the publisher's, 

a part of the Gaelic of Fingal, which and would be published if a sufficient 

afterwards appeared in the Gaelic ver- number of subscribers came forward ; 

sion subsequently published. He said but as few subscribers appeared, and 

he had taken it from a MS. he had re- fewer came to look at them, they were 

covered, written by a friend " who was withdrawn. 

at that time with Mr. Macpherson and The so-called originals were, no doubt, 

me, a gentleman well known for an un- this Gaelic version, which there is every 

common acquaintance with the Gaelic, reason to believe had preceded the Eng- 

and a happy facility for writing it in lish version in its preparation. 
Roman characters.". 



Iviii INTRODUCTION. 

an occasional reproduction of old arguments and of 
criticism long superseded, by enthusiastic young High- 
landers, and occasional discussions at young debating 
societies, it broke out from a new quarter, and in a 
different shape. 

The Irish, who had been long murmuring under the 
neglect of their claims to literary notice, and the ab- 
sorbing attention obtained by the Highlands, suddenly 
burst forth with a succession of violent and spasmodic 
attacks, of which the partial detection of the Ossian of 
Macpherson afforded a favourable opportunity. 

In 1784 Dr. Young, afterwards Bishop of Clonfert, a 
good Irish scholar, had made a tour in the Highlands, 
with the view of collecting Gaelic poems, and ascertain- 
ing from what materials Macpherson had constructed his 
Ossian. He pul:)hshed an account of his journey in the 
first volume of the Transactions of the Eoyal Irish Aca- 
demy, in which he maintained that any poems that 
existed A^^ere Irish, and that Macpherson had founded 
his Ossian on some of these, " retrenching, adding, and 
altering as he judged proper.^' 

In 1789 a collection of Irish Ossianic poems was pub- 
lished by Miss Brooke, termed Eeliques of Irish Poetry. 
They consisted of short poems, either attributed to 
Ossian or on Ossianic subjects, and were accompanied 
by the original Irish version from which they were 
translated. Where that was obtained is not stated. 

In 1807 the Dublin Gaelic Society was formed, for 
the purpose of publishing the contents of Irish MSS. ; 



INTRODUCTION. lix 

and in the only volume of transactions published, the 
subject of Ossian was taken up. The prose tale of 
Deirdre, the original of Macpherson's Darthula, inter- 
spersed with fragments of poetry, is there given ; and 
the volume likewise contains strictures upon Macpher- 
son, in which his work is boldly denounced as an entii'e 
fabrication and imposture from beginning to end, and 
the assertion made, that no poems of Ossian ever existed 
in Gaelic except those in Ireland. 

In 1827 the Eoyal Irish Academy offered a prize for 
the best essay on the poems of Ossian. The subject 
proposed was " to investigate the authenticity of the 
poems of Ossian, both as given in Macpherson's trans- 
lation and as published in Gaelic (London, 1807), 
under the sanction of the Highland' Society of London." 
The prize was awarded in 1829 to Dr. Drummond, 
their librarian, whose essay is published in the sixteenth 
volume of their Transactions. In this essay the argu- 
ments of Dr. Johnson and Malcolm Laing are adopted ; 
and the assertion of the former is re-echoed, that " there 
does not exist in the whole Highlands a person who 
can repeat one poem of Macpherson s Ossian.'^ Another 
essay, given in by Edward O'EeiUy, the author of an 
Irish dictionary of no great repute, is printed in conti- 
nuation of Dr. Drummond's, also asserting the modern 
fabrication of the whole of the poems published by 
Macpherson, and that the Gaelic poems of Macpherson 
contain in them the substance stolen from Irish poems. 

In 1853 a society was formed in Dublin, "whose 



Ix INTRODUCTION. 

object should be the pubhcation of Fenian poems, tales, 
and romances illustrative of the Fenian period of Irish 
history, in the Irish language and character, with literal 
translations and notes explanatory of the text." This 
society was termed the Ossianic Society, and they have 
already issued six volumes of Transactions. 

In the fifth volume there is an essay on the poems of 
Ossian by Macpherson, which may be considered as a 
summary of the case of Ireland against Scotland as to 
these poems. 

This essay is, like the others, violent in language and 
uncandid in spirit. It deals with the controversy as it 
existed in the last century, and its strength consists in 
simply ignoring altogether the inquiry made by the High- 
land Society of Scotland, the whole of the great mass of 
facts collected by them being passed over in silence, and 
in imputing to the Scots of the present day the views 
and feelings of those of a century back, before the rise 
of a true spirit of historic inquiry and genuine criticism 
had led them to a just appreciation of their national 
history, and of the claims of Macpherson s Ossian to be 
viewed as an authentic work. 

The publications of the Dublin Gaelic Society and of 
the Ossianic Society have, however, not merely assailed 
the Ossian of Macpherson as a fabrication, and denied 
to Scotland the possession of any Ossianic poems what- 
ever ; they have at length given to the world those 
genuine Ossianic poems alleged to exist solely in Ireland. 

The former contains the prose tale of Deirdre, inter- 



INTRODUCTION. Ixi 

spersed with short poems. The latter have presented to 
the public a number of poems in the original Irish, with 
literal translations. The first volume contains a poem 
extending to no fewer than 180 quatrains, termed the 
Battle of Gabhra, to which is added a short poem 
termed the Kosg Catha of Oscar son of Ossian ; but, 
strangely enough, though there is an elaborate intro- 
duction, no hint is given of where the originals of 
these poems were obtained. The second volume, be- 
sides a short poem given in a long and elaborate intro- 
duction, contains a prose tale called the Festivities of the 
House of Conan of Ceann-sleibhe ; and in this volume, 
for the first time, the source from which this tale and the 
poem in the previous volume was taken is stated. They 
are from a MS. collection made by a celebrated scribe 
named Foran, who resided at Portland, in the county of 
Waterford, in the year 1780, that is, twenty years after 
Macpherson had published his Ossian. 

The third volume contains a long prose tale, interspersed 
with poetry, termed the Pursuit of Diarmaid and 
G-rainne ; another prose tale, termed How Cormac mac 
Art got his Branch ; and a poem, termed the Lamenta- 
tion of Oisin after the Feinne. And the sources of these 
tales are stated to be — 16'^, The collection made by 
Laurence Foran in 1780, termed Bolg an tsalathar ; 
and 2dly, A closely written quarto of 881 pages, from 
the pen of Martan O'Griobhta or Martin Griffin, an in- 
telligent blacksmith of Kilrush, in the county of Clare, 
1842-43, called an Sgeulaidhe, and containing thirty- 



Ixii INTEODUCTION. 

eight Fenian and other legends, some of which are said 
to have been transcribed from MSS. of 1749.^ 

The fourth volume contains ten poems, which, with the 
exception of two, were taken from the collection of 1780, 
from another collection made in 1812 by the Eev. Thomas 
Hill of Cooreclure, and from the volume of the intelligent 
blacksmith in 1844. 

The fifth volume contains a long prose tale termed the 
Proceedings of the Great Bardic Institution, an essay 
on the poems of Ossian, published by Macpherson, and 
several short poems which are ancient, but not Ossianic. 

And the sixth and last contains nine Ossianic poems, 
which are stated to be taken from Foran's collection in 
1780, from that of Mr. Hill in 1812, and from the intel- 
ligent blacksmith of 1844. 

No information whatever is given as to the sources from 
whence these respectable collectors obtained their poems ; 
they are all posterior to the publication of Ossian's poems 
by Macpherson ; and, so far as we are yet informed by 
the Irish editors, the Ossianic poems published by them 
stand in no better position in regard to their antiquity 
or authenticity than those of Macpherson.^ 

Professor O'Curry, in his valuable lectures on Irish 
literature, with that scrupulous accuracy which always 
distinguishes him, admits that there exists in Ireland 

1 In vol. iv. p. 230 of these Transac- especially the poem termed the Battle of 
tions, it is admitted that some of the Gabhra^ show evident indications of the 
poems transcribed in 174:V were the com- same process of patching and dovetailing 
position of the writer, Michael Comyn. together of shorter poems which charac- 

2 Those poems published by the Ossi- terize Macpherson's Ossian. 
auic Society which are of any length, and 



INTEODUCTION. Ixiii 

only eleven Ossianic poems prior to the fifteenth century 
— seven ascribed to Fionn himself, two to his son Oisin, 
one to Fergus Filidh, and one to Caoilte. Most of these 
are extremely short, and are found principally in the 
book of Leinster, supposed to be compiled in the twelfth 
century, and in the book of Lecan in the fifteenth. 

The theory, that Macpherson stole his poems directly 
from Ireland, is obviously untenable and inconsistent with 
all that we know of his proceedings, for he never was there, 
and had apparently no communication with Irishmen, or 
access to their MSS. What he obtained, he got in the 
Highlands of Scotland, and the collection of poems made 
by the Dean of Lismore and his brother tends to confirm 
the result which had been attained by the inquiry made 
by the Highland Society of Scotland, for it contains 
poems attributed directly to Ossian and others which 
may be called Ossianic, collected in the Highlands of 
Scotland upwards of three hundred years ago. The 
persons named, and the subjects, are of the same character 
with those in Macpherson, and such poems must have 
been handed down by oral recitation, as many of the 
poems obtained from recitation during the Highland 
Society's inquiry are the same as those in this MS. 

Assuming, then, that Ossianic poems existed in the 
Highlands of Scotland, and were both preserved by oral 
tradition, and transcribed in MS. collections, the question 
arises, What is their real position in the literature of 
the Highlands ? and this question leads to a preliminary 
question which will materially aid its solution. 



Ixiv INTRODUCTION. 

Who were the Feinne of tradition, and to what country 
and period are they to be assigned ? 

To this question the Irish historians give a ready 
response. 

They were a body of Irish militia, forming a. kind of 
standing army, employed for the purpose of defending 
the coasts of Ireland from the invasion of foreign foes. 
They were billeted upon the inhabitants during win- 
ter, and obliged to maintain themselves by hunting and 
fishing during summer. Each of the four provinces had 
its band of these warriors, termed Curaidhe or cham- 
pions. Those of Ulster were termed the Curaidhe na 
Craoibh Kuaidhe, or champions of the red branch, and 
were stationed at Eamhain or Eamania, near Ulster. To 
this body belonged the celebrated CuchuUin and the sons 
of Uisneach. The militia of Connaught were the Cu- 
raidhe or champions of Jorras Domnan, otherwise called 
the Clanna Morna, to w^hich belonged GoU Mac Morn, 
stationed at Dun Domnan, in Mayo. The militia of 
Munster were the Curaidhe Clann Deaghadh, to which 
belonged Curigh Mac Daire, stationed at Cathair Con- 
righ, in Kerry. The militia of Leinster were the Curaighe 
Clanna Baoisgne, to which belonged the renowned Finn 
Mac Cumhal, his sons, Ossin and Fergus Filidh, his 
grandson Oscar, and his relation, Caoilte Mac Eonan. 
Cuchullin lived in the first century, in the reign of 
Conaire Mac Eidersgeoil, Kingof Ireland, and Conchobar 
Mac Nessa, a king of Ulster ; and at the same period ' 
lived Curigh Mac Daire, who was slain by him. Finn 

I 



INTRODUCTION. Ixv 

Mac Cumhal lived in the reign of Cormac Mac Art, 
who ruled from a.d. 227 to 266, and whose daughter 
Graine he married, and Goll Mac Moirna was his cotem- 
porary. Finn was slain in the year 285, his grandson 
Oscar having fallen in the battle of Gahbra, fought in 
the following year. Oissin and Caoilte survived to the 
time of St. Patrick, whose mission to Ireland fell in the 
year 432, and related to him the exploits of the Feinne ; 
one conversation between these aged Feinne and the 
apostle of Ireland having been preserved, and is termed 
Agallamh na seanorach or the Dialogue of the Sages. 

Such is the account of the Feinne given by the Irish. 

If this is history, cadit quest io: The ancient Irish 
militia, like their more modern representatives, could not, 
it is presumed, be called upon to leave their country, 
except in case of invasion ; and poems narrating their 
adventures and exploits must have been as Irish as the 
heroes which were the subject of them. 

But we cannot accept it as history in any sense of the 
term. It is as illusory and uncertain as are the dates 
of St. Patrick, and the narrative of which the one forms 
a part, is as little to be regarded as a veracious chronicle, 
as the life of the other can be accepted as a genuine 
biography. The chronology of the one is as questionable 
as the era of the other. 

Prior to the year 483, the Irish have, strictly speaking, 
no chronological history. The battle of Ocha, fought in 
that year, which established the dynasty of the Hy'Neills 
on the Irish throne, and the order of things which 

/ 



Ixvi INTRODUCTION. 

existed subsequent to that date, is the great chronolo- 
gical era which separates the true from the empirical, 
the genuine annals of the country from an artificially 
constructed history. 

Prior to that date, we find the reigns of a long suc- 
cession of monarchs recorded, with a strange mixture of 
minute detail, chronological exactness, and the wildest 
fable, a wonderful structure of history palpably artificial, 
and ranging over a period of upwards of 3000 years. 
Passing over the arrival of Casar, Noah's niece, who 
landed in Ireland forty days before the deluge, on the 
fifteenth day of the moon, the so-called Irish history 
records the arrival of four colonies before that of the 
Milesians. First, that of Partolan and his followers, 
who landed at Inversceine, in the west of Munster, on 
the 14th day of May, in the year of the world 2320 or 
2680 years B.C., and who all perished by a pestilence in 
one week to the number of 9000 on the Hill of Ho\vth, 
thirty years after their arrival. Secondly, the Neme- 
dians, under their leader Nemedius, thirty years after, 
who, after remaining 217 years in the island, left it, in 
consequence of the tyranny and oppression of the 
pirates, termed the Fomorians, in three bands, — one 
going to Thrace, from whom descended the Firbolg ; 
the second to the North of Europe or Lochlan, from 
whom descended the Tuatha De Danann ; and the third 
to Alban or Scotland, from whom descended the Bri- 
tons. The third colony were the Firbolg, who returned to 
Ireland 217 years after the arrival of the Nemedians, and 



INTRODUCTION. Ixvii 

consisted of three tribes, the Firbolg, the Firdomnan, 
and the Firgailian under five leaders, by whom Ireland 
was divided into fiYe provinces. With Slainge, the 
eldest of the five brothers, the Irish historians com- 
mence the monarchy of Ireland and the list of her kings. 
The fourth colony were the Tuatha De Danann, who 
went from Lochlan to Alban or Scotland, and from thence 
to Ireland, where they landed on Monday the 1st of May, 
and drove out the Firbolgs, after they had been thirty-six 
years in Ireland, to be in their turn driven out by the 
Scots, under the three sons of Milesius, Eremon, Eber, 
and Ir, who, with their uncle's son Lughadh, the son of 
Ith, led the fifth and last colony from Spain to Ireland. 
The island was divided between the two brothers Ere- 
mon and Eber, the former having the north, and the 
latter the south half of Ireland ; Ir obtaining Ulster 
under Eremon, and Lughadh a settlement in Munster 
under Eber. 

From the sons of Milesius to the reign of Lughadh, 
who was placed on the throne by the battle of Ocha, there 
proceeded a line of monarchs amounting to 116 in num- 
ber, and extending over a period of upwards of twenty- 
one centuries, the descendants of the different sons of 
Milesius alternating with each other from time to time, 
and the reign of each given with an exactness of date 
and minuteness of event which betrays its artificial cha- 
racter. As part of this narrative is introduced the ex- 
istence of these bands of Fenian militia, with the dates 
at which their leaders are said to have lived. 



Ixviii INTEODUCTION. 

Is it possible, however, to accept this extraordinary bead- 
roll of shadowy monarchs during Pagan times, with their 
exact chronology, and the strange and almost ludicrous 
peculiarities by which each are distinguished, as serious 
history, or even to attempt to discriminate between what 
may be true and what is false ? Are there any materials, 
or any data upon which we can even fix upon a date, mthin 
a reasonable compass of time, and say all before that is 
fable, all after may be history, till we arrive on firm 
ground, after the introduction of Christianity ? Professor 
O'Curry is right when he says, in his admirable lectures 
on the MS. materials of ancient Irish history, that he 
cannot discover any ground on which the annalist 
Tighernac was able to say, " omnia monumenta Scotorum 
usque Cimbaoth (a king of Ulster, who flourished in the 
seventh century, B.C.) incerta erant." 

From Slainge, the first king of the Firbolgs, who began f 
to reign 1934 years B.C., and ruled only one year, or even 
from Eremon, the first monarch of all Ireland of the 
Milesian race, who began to reign 1700 years B.C., down 
to Dathy, who was kiUed by a flash of lightning at the 
foot of the Alps in the year 428, and Laogare, his suc- 
cessor, who was slain by the elements for refusing obe- 
dience to St Patrick's mission which is said to have taken 
place during his reign, every reign is stamped with the 
same character ; and what to accept and what to reject is 
a problem, for the solution of which the history itself 
affords no materials. 

If this narrative is to be submitted to historic criticism, 



INTRODUCTION. Ixix 

is the later portion less an object of such criticism than 
the earlier ? There seems no reason why we should ac- 
cept the history of Neill of the nine hostages, who reigned 
from 379 to 405, and had subjected all Britain and part 
of France to his sway, and reject that of Ugony More, 
who reigned 1000 years earlier, and whose conquests were 
equally extensive and equally unknown to European his- 
tory, or why Ugony 's twenty-five sons are less worthy of 
credit than the thirty sons of Cathoirmor, who reigned 
750 years later. Why the division of Ireland into the two 
great portions of north and south, between Conn of the 
hundred battles and Modha Nuadhat, in the second cen- 
tury, is to be accepted in preference to the original divi- 
sion into the same districts between Eremon and Eber, 
the sons of Milesius ; or which of the divisions of Ireland 
into five provinces, that by Tuathal the acceptable, or 
Eochaddh, caUed Feidhlioch, from the deep sighs which 
he constantly heaved from his heart, or that by Slainge, 
the first king of the Firbolgs, is to be held to represent 
the event which produced it. 

Are the conquests in Scotland by Crimthan mor, and 
Dathy in the fourth and fifth centuries, to be accepted, 
and these equally detailed battles of Aongus olmucadha 
and Rechtgidh righ-derg, some centuries earlier, to be 
rejected because they occupy a difierent place in this 
succession of unreal monarchs ? Are we to accept the 
reign of Conchobar Mac Nessa in the first century — to 
whom the death of Christ upon the cross was revealed 
by a Druid at the time it happened, and who became 



Ixx INTEODUCTION. 

Christian in consequence, and died from over-exertion in 
attacking a forest of trees with his sword which he mis- 
took for the Jews ; and the reign of Cormac Mac Art, 
called Ulfada, either from the length of his beard and 
hair, or because he drove the Uladh or Ultonians far from 
their country, where, however, they are ever after found 
notwithstanding ; who was also miraculously converted to 
Christianity two centuries before the supposed arrival of 
St. Patrick, the apostle of Ireland, and died by choking 
upon the bone of an enchanted fish, or, according to 
other accounts, was strangled by a number of infernal 
fiends, — as history, in preference to the reigns of scores 
of older monarchs, the events of whose reigns cannot be 
said to be less probable. 

Must we hold that the chronology of Cuchullin and 
Corroi, of Finn Mac Cumhal and Goll Mac Morn, is fixed, 
because the two former are placed in the reign of Con- 
chobar Mac Nessa, and the two latter in that of Cormac 
Ulfada, or that their Irish character is demonstrated 
because they are woven into this Milesian fable ? ^ 

^ The following passage is quoted by AttacMuatha in the insurrection above 

Petrie {Round Totoers, p. 96) from an referred to ; and it is remarkable that 

ancient tract termed the Senchas na Ee- the reign of Concliobar, in wbich. Cu- 

lec, preserved in the leabhar na h'uidhre, chnllin and Curoi are said to have flon- 

a MS. of the year 1100 : — rished, the era of the occupation of the 

" Cormac Mac Art was the thu'd person country by the Attachtnatha, the de- 

who had believed in Erin before the ar- scendants of the ante-Milesian popnla- 

rival of St. Patrick ; Conchobar Mac tion^ and the reign of Cormac Mac Art, 

Nessa, to whom CEtno had told concern- in which Finn Mac Cumhal and Goll 

ing the crucifixion of Christ, v-as the Mac Morn are said to have lived and 

first ; Moran, the son of Cairpre Cinn- fought, should be connected by the 

cait, was the second ; and Conmac was link of a conversion to Christianity, 

the third." It seems to synchronize these three pe- 

Cairpre Cinncait was the leader of the riods in tradition with each other, and 



INTRODUCTION. Ixxi 

In fact, the whole of this history presents a structure 
so artificial, so compact, and so alike in all its features, 
that it is impossible for any one, like Samson, to with- 
draw any two pillars without bringing the Avhole edifice 
about his ears, and crushing the entire bead-roll of un- 
baptized monarchs beneath its ruins. 

The truth is, that notwithstanding the claims of the 
Irish to an early cultivation and to a knowledge of 
letters in Pagan times, the art of writing was unkno^\Ti 
in Ireland tiU after the introduction of Christianity, and 
written history there was none. The only materials that 
existed for it were poems, legends, historic tales, and 
pedigrees, handed down by tradition ; and from these, 
at a subsequent period, when, as in all countries, the 
leisure hours of monks and ecclesiastics were employed 
in constructing a history of ante-Christian times, in imita- 
tion of more classical histories, a highly artificial system 
was by degrees constructed, embodying the substance of 
traditions and myths, real facts and imaginative poems, 
with bardic and monkish creations, and the whole based 
upon the classical model, by which the difierent ethnological 
elements which entered into the population of the country 
were cloaked under an artificial and symbolical genealogy. 

But it is not chronological history. The dates are 
quite artificial, and the whole creation melts and re- 
solves itself into its original elements upon investiga- 
tion. The pre-Milesian colonies are found existing 

with the first introduction of Chris- King Cormac JNIac Art " was slain by 
tianity into Ireland. Siabhras, id est, the Tuatha De Danaun, 

The same tract states, that the mythic for they were called Siabhras. " 



Ixxii INTRODUCTION. 

and occupying large tracts of the country down to a 
late period of the ante-Christian history. The provin- 
cial kings, when closely examined, lose their Milesian 
name, and are found ruling over Firbolgs, Firdomnan 
and Cruithne ; and notwithstanding that the Milesians 
had been for 1600 years in possession of the country, 
and a flourishing monarchy is supposed to have ex- 
isted for so long a period, we find, as late as the second 
century after Christ, the Attachtuatha, as the descend- 
ants of the Firbolg, Firdomnan, and Tuatha De Danann 
were termed during the Milesian monarchy, in full 
possession of the country for nearly a century, and in 
close alliance with the Cruithne of Ulster ; during which 
time the Milesian kings were in exile, and the process of 
subjugating these tribes, supposed to be completed 1600 
years before by Eremon and Eber, is again repeated by 
Tuathal teachtmhar, who arrives with an army from Alban. 
The descendants of the difierent sons of Milesius Hke- 
wise assume foreign characteristics. The race of Ir, 
son of Milesius, who possessed the whole of Ulster till 
the Heremonian settlements almost within the domain 
of history, are found calling themselves on all occasions 
Cruithne. The descendants of Ith called themselves 
Clanna Breogan, and occupy the territory where Ptolemy, 
in the second century, places an ofishoot of British 
Brigantes. Eremon and Eber seem to represent the 
northern and southern Scots distinguished by Bede, a 
distinction reproduced in Conn of the hundred battles, 
and Modha Nuadhat. 



INTRODUCTION. Ixxiii 

The legend of St. Patrick, too, in its present shape, is 
not older than the ninth century ; and, under the influ- 
ence of an investigation into older authorities, he dissolves 
into three personages ; Sen-Patricius, whose day in the 
calendar is the 24th August ; Palladius qui est Patricius, 
to whom the mission in 432 properly belongs, and who is 
said to have retired to Alban or Scotland, where he died 
among the Cruithne ; and Patricius, whose day is the 1 7th 
of March, and to whom alone a certain date can be as- 
signed, — for he died, in the chronological period, in the 
year 493, — and from the acts of these three saints the 
subsequent legend of the great apostle of Ireland was com- 
piled, and an arbitrary chronology applied to it. 

The Peine also, when looked at a little more closely, 
emerge from under the guise of a Milesian militia, and 
assume the features of a distinct race. CuchuUin, Conall 
cearnach, and the children of Uisneach belong to the 
race of Ir, and are Cruithne. Goll Mac Morn and 
his Clanna Moirne are Firbolg ; Curigh Mac Daire and 
his Clanna Deaghadh are Ernai ; and though they 
are called Heremonians in Irish history, yet they are 
also said to be a Firbolg tribe of the same race with 
the Clanna Morna ; and in the poem of Maolmura, 
Avho died in 884, they are said to be of the race of Ith, 
and, therefore, probably Britons, — a conjecture singularly 
corroborated by the fact that there exists, in Welsh, a 
poem on the death of Curigh Mac Daire ; and, finally, 
Finn Mac Cumhal and his Clanna Baiosgne, although a 
Heremonian pedigree is given to them, it is not the 



Ixxiv INTRODUCTION. 

only one known to the old Irish mss. There is a second, 
deducing him from the Clanna Deaghaidh, the same race 
with that of Curigh Mac Daire ; and a third, and pro- 
bably the oldest, states that he was of the Ui Tairsigh, and 
that they were of the Attachtuatha, as the descendants 
of the non-Milesian tribes were called, a fact corroborated 
by Maolmura, who says — 

Six tribes not of Breoghan's people 
Who hold lands, 

The Gabhraigiie Siicca, Ui Tairsigh, 
Galeons of Leinster. 

The fact is, when the fictitious catalogue of Milesian 
kings was extended over so many centuries, and the 
Milesian monarchy drawn back to so remote a period, 
it became necessary to account for the appearance of 
non-Milesian races in the old traditional stories, and 
they were either clothed with a Milesian name and 
pedigree, or some device hit upon to account for their 
separate existence; and thus the Feinne, a pre-Milesian 
warrior race they could not account for, appear under 
the somewhat clumsy guise of a standing body of Milesian 
militia, having peculiar privileges and strange customs. 

The Irish Ossiam'c poems, as well as those in the 
Dean's ms., indicate that the Feinne were not a body of 
troops confined to Ireland, but belonged, whoever they 
Avere, to a much wider extent of territory. 

Thus, the poem on the battle of Gabhra, published in 
the first volume of the Transactions of the Ossianic 
Society — a battle in which Oscar the son of Ossiau was 



INTRODUCTION. Ixxv 

slain, and the Feinne from all quarters took part — we find 

the following verses : 

The bands of the Fians of Alban, 
And the supreme King of Breatan, 
Belonging to the order of the Feinne of Alban, 
Joined ns in that battle. 

The Fians of Lochlin were powerful. 
From the chief to the leader of nine men, 
They mustered along with us 
To share in the struggle. 

Again — 

Boinne, the son of Breacal, exclaimed, 
With quickness, fierceness, and valour, — 
I and the Fians of Breatan, 
Will be with Oscar of Eamhain. 

There were thus in this battle, besides Feinne of Erin, 
Feinne of Alban, Breatan, and Lochlan. 

Alba or Alban was Scotland, north of the Firths of 
Forth and Clyde. 

Breatan was not Wales, but the southern districts of 
Scotland, of which Dunbreatan, now Dumbarton, was the 
chief seat. 

Lochlan was the north of Germany, extending from 
the Ehine to the Elbe ;^ and the name of Lochlanach 
was originally applied to the ancient traditionary pirates 
termed the Fomorians. When the Norwegian and Dan- 
ish pirates appeared in the ninth century, they were like- 

'ApassageinoneoffheoldestoftlieMSS., of Italy into the roiigli land of Gallia, 

deposited in the Library of the Faculty and the wide and long country of Loch- 

of Advocates, shows that the term Loch- lain. For these are one and the same 

Ian was anciently applied to the districts country; hut for the interposition of 

east of the Ehine. " Ccesar came with the clear current of the Rhine, which 

some entire legions of the ruthless youth divides and sunders the two lands." 



Ixxvi INTRODUCTION. 

wise called Lochlanach ; and the name of Lochlan was 
transferred to Norway and Denmark, from whence they 
came. There is every reason to believe that the Low 
German race were preceded, in the more ancient Lochlan, 
by a Celtic people. 

The Feinne then belonged to the pre-Milesian races, 
and were connected, not only with Erin, but likewise 
with Alban, Breatan, and Lochlan. Now, there are just 
two people mentioned in the Irish records who had 
settlements in Ireland, and who yet were connected with 
Alban, Breatan, and Lochlan. These were the people 
termed the Tuatha De Danann, and the Cruithne. 

The traditionary migration of the Tuatha De Danann 
brings them from Lochlan, where they possessed four 
cities, to Alban, where they inhabited a district termed 
Dobhar and Jr Dobhar; and from thence they went to 
Erin, where they drove out the Firbolg, to be subdued 
in their turn by the Milesian Scots. 

The Cruithne are likewise brought from Lochlan to 
Erin and from Erin to Alban, where they founded a king- 
dom, which included, till the seventh century, the Cruithne 
of Ulster, and which was subverted in the ninth century 
by the Milesian Scots. 

These two tribes were thus the prior race in each 
country. Both must have been prior to the Low German 
population of Lochlan. The Cruithne were the race 
prior to the Scots in Alban, and the Tuatha de Dannan the 
prior colony to the Milesian Scots in Erin. The Feinne 
are brought by all the old historic tales into close contact 



I 



INTRODUCTION. Ixxvii 

with the Tuatha De Danann ; a portion of them were 
avowedly Cruithne ; and if they were, as we have seen, 
in Erin, not of the Milesian race, bnt of the prior popu- 
lation, and likewise connected with Alban, Breatan, and 
Lochlan, the inference is obvious, that, whether a deno- 
mination for an entire people or for a body of warriors, 
they belonged to the previous population which preceded 
the Germans in Lochlan and the Scots in Erin and Alban. 
This view is corroborated by the fact, that in the old 
poems and tales the Feinne appear, as we have said, in 
close connexion with the Tuatha De Danann. They are 
likewise connected with the Cruithne, as in the Lamen- 
tation of CuchuUin over the body of his son Conlaoch, in 
Miss Brooke^s collection, where he says — 

Alas ! that it was not in the land of the Cruithne 
Of the Feinne bloody and fierce, 
That thou didst fall, active youth, 
Or in the gloomy land of Sorcha. 

While the traditions of the Cruithne, in narrating their 

migration and the names of their leaders, mention, as the 

mythic poet of their race, a name singularly like that of 

Ossian — 

Cathmolodar the hardknobbed, 
And Cathmachan the bright, 
Were glorious youths ; 
The two valiant sons of Cathluan, 

His hardy puissant champions ; 
Heavy, stern was their trampling, 
Cing victorious in his victory. 
Im, son of Pernn, were their names ; 



Ixxviii INTRODUCTION. 

Huasein was the name of liis poet, 
Who sought out the path of pleasantry. 

In answering, then, the preliminary questions of who were 
the Feinne ? and to what period do they belong ? we may 
fairly infer that they were of the population who imme- 
diately preceded the Scots in Erin and in Alban, and that 
they belong to that period in the liistory of both countries, 
before a political separation had taken place between 
them, when they were viewed as parts of one territory, 
though physically separated, and when a free and unre- 
strained intercourse took place between them ; when race 
and not territory was the great bond of association, and 
the movements of their respective populations from one 
country to the other were not restrained by any feeling 
of national separation. 

It was natural that the deeds and events conuected 
with this warrior race, associated as they must have 
been with the physical features of the country in which 
they dwelt, should have formed the subject of the early 
poems and legendary tales of their successors, and that a 
body of popular poetry should have sprung up in each 
country, which occupied itself with adventures, expedi- 
tions, and feats of bravery of this previous race, which 
were common to both countries, and which, attributed to 
their mythic poets, and full of the names of heroes, and of 
the scenes of their exploits, would be appropriated by the 
bards of each country to their own districts. The names 
of the places connected in tradition with these events 
would, as they were localized in the respective countries, 



INTRODUCTION. Ixxix 

be identified with its scenery and physical features, and 
thus a species of Fenian topography would spring up in 
each country, which, having a common origin, would 
bear the same character, and possess a mutual resem- 
blance. Each country would thus claim the Feinne as 
their exclusive property, and could point to a body of 
popular Ossianic poetry in support of their claim., and 
to the Fenian names of their localities, in proof of the 
events which form the subject of the poems having there 
occurred. 

The allusions to Fingal in the older Scottish historians 
who wrote long before Macpherson's Ossian appeared, or 
the controversy arose, show that stories of the Feinne 
were current in Scotland, and that they w^ere regarded 
as belonging to this country as much as to Ireland, while 
the Fenian names of localities in charters and other docu- 
ments evince that a Fenian topography likewise existed 
in Scotland before that period.^ 



1 It is unnecessary here to repeat these the composition of Gaelic proper names, 

references. They will be found in the Thus we have Aedgal, Aelgal, Angal, 

Report of the Highland Society, page 21. Ardgal, Artgal, Bodgal, Comgal, Con- 

The quotation from Barbonr shows gal, Donngal, Dnbhgal, Dimgal, Fear- 
that the name of Fingal was known long gal, Fingal, Gormgal, Leargal, Maengal, 
before the time of Macpherson ; and as Eiagal, Saergal, Smiorgal. Some also 
most Gaelic proper names had a corre- take the form of galach ; as Congalach, 
sponding name in English which resem- Dnngalach, Fiangalach, Irgalach. 
bled it in sound, and was held to repre- Those in which the first syllable ex- 
sent it, as Hector for Eachin, or Hugh for presses a colour appear both alone and 
Aodh, it is not unlikely that Fingal may with the affix gal, as Dubh and Dubhgal, 
have been known as the recognised Finn and Finngal, and are really the 
representative in English of Finn. same name. The annals of the Four 

In fact, Finn and Fingal are both real Masters mention several persons of the 

names, and closely related to each other. name of Finn, and, in 741, Finghal of 

Qal is a syllable of unknown origin Lismore. 
and meaning, which enters largely into 



IXXX INTRODUCTION. 

Kirke, in his Psalter, published in 1684, adds the fol- 
lowing address : — 

Imthigh. a Dlmilleachan gu dan, 

Le dan glan diagha dnisgiad thall ; 
Cuir failte arfonn fial nab fionn, 
Ar-gharbh cliriocha is Inseadh Gall. 

That is, — ■ 

Little volume go boldly forth, 

EoTise wliom you reach to pure and godly strains ; 

Hail the generous land of the Feinne, 

The Eougbbounds and tlie Western Isles. 

The Eoughbounds were the districts from Morvaren to 
Glenelg, which, with the Isles, are thus called the land of 
the Feinne. 

The districts in which the Fenian names enter most 
largely into the topography of the Highlands are AthoU, 
Lochaber, Lorn, and Morvaren, Glenelg, and the districts 
about Loch Ness ; and the antiquity of this topography in 
the Highlands of Scotland is proved by an old gloss to a 
charter by Alexander the Second to the monks of Kin- 
loss of the lands of Burgyn, within the ancient Celtic 
province of Moray, which is preserved in the Chartulary 
of the Bishopric. The boundary of the lands passes by a 
place called Tuber na Fein, meaning literally the well of 
the Feinne, and the gloss is " or feyne, of the grett or 
kempis men (^d^it ffenis, is ane well." 

Cuchullin was of the race of the Cruithne, and belongs 
both to Ulster and to Scotland. In Ulster his seat was 
Dundealgan, and the scene of his exploits the district of 



INTRODUCTION. Ixxxi 

Cuailgne and the mountains of Sleave Cuillin ; but even 
Irish tradition admits that he was reared by Sgathaig, in 
the Isle of Skye, and here we have Dunsgathaig and the 
CuiUin HiUs. 

The children of Uisneach were likewise Cruithne, and 
must have preceded the Scots, for the great scene of their 
Scotch adventures are the districts of Lorn, Loch Aw, and 
Cowall, afterwards the possessions of the Dalriadic Scots ; 
thus, in the vicinity of Oban, we have Dun mhic 
Uisneachan, now corruptly caUed in guide-books Dun 
mac Sniachan, a fort with vitrified remains ; and here we 
have on Loch Etive, Glen Uisneach, and Suidhe Deard- 
huil. The names of the three sons of Uisneach were 
Ainle, Ardan, and Naoise ; and it is remarkable that 
Adomnan, in his life of St. Columba, written in the 
seventh century, appears to mention only three localities 
in connexion with St. Columba's journey to the palace of 
the king of the Picts, near Loch Ness, and - these are 
Cainle, Arcardan, and the flumen Nesae. Two vitrified 
forts in the neighbourhood of Lochness are called Dun- 
deardhuil.^ 

The hunt of Diarmed O'Duine after the boar on Ben- 
gulbain, and his death by measuring his length against 
the bristles, enters into Scotch topography in three differ- 
ent localities ; in Grienshee, where there is a hiU called 
Bengulbain, also in Glenroy, where we have also a Bengul- 

^ It is remarkable that the ancient neachan, and Dundheardhuil, are all 

legends of Cucliullin and tlie sons of vitrified forts, and the latter is a common 

Uisneach connect them with those re- name for them. There is probably a 

markable structures termed vitrified mythic meaning under this. 
forts. Dun Scathaig, Dun mhic Uis- 



Ixxxii INTEODUCTION. 

Imin and an Eassroy, and also on the south bank of Loch 
Ness. Daire donn, who appears in the Oath Finntragha 
identified by the Irish witli Ventry, has also deposited 
his name on a mountain in Ardgour, close to the west 
sea, called Meall Dayre donn. 

The mountain streams and lakes in these districts of 
the Highlands are everywhere redolent of names con- 
nected with the heroes and actions of the Feinne, and 
show that a body of popular legends connected with 
them, whether in poetry or in prose, preserved by oral 
recitation or committed to writing, must have existed in 
the country when this topography sprung up, though it 
does not follow that the events, though now associated 
with the scenery of the country, originally happened there 
any more than does the Fenian topography of Ireland. 

These legendary poems and tales seem to have passed 
through three different stages. 

In the first and oldest form they were pure poems, of 
more or less excellence, narrating the adventures and 
deeds of these warrior bands, whose memory still hngered 
in the country ; each poem being complete in itself, and 
constructed upon a metrical system which brought the aid 
of alliteration and of rhyme, or correspondence of sounds, 
to assist the memory in retaining what had been received 
by oral recitation, and to render it less easy to forget or 
lose a part. These poems seem generally to have been 
attributed to one mythic poet of the race they celebrate. 

Then, as the language in which these poems were com- 
posed became altered or modified, or as the reciters were 



mxRoDUCTiON. Ixxxiii 

less able to retain the whole, they would narrate, in ordi- 
nary prose, the events of the part of the poem they had 
forgotten, and merely recite the poetry of what they re- 
collected ; and thus they would pass into the second stage 
of prose tales, interspersed with fragments of poetry. 

Bards who were themselves composers as well as re- 
citers, besides composing poems on the subjects of the 
day in which they lived, would likewise select the Fenian 
legends as their themes, and become imitators of the older 
Ossianic poetry. The prose narrative would form the 
basis of their poem ; and thus would arise the third stage 
of their poems, in which they were reconstructed from 
the prose tales, and again appear as long poems, the 
names and incidents being the same as in the older 
poems, and the fragments of them preserved in the prose 
tale, imbedded in the new poem. 

The poems of the first stage were probably common 
to Ireland and to Scotland, and traces of them are to be 
found wherever the Feinne were supposed to have once 
existed ; though, in countries where their successors were 
of a different race, and spoke a different language, the 
continuity of the tradition would be at once broken. 

Among the ancient poems in the Welsh language which 
have been preserved, there exists an Ossianic poem called 
Marwnad Coire map Daire, or the death-song of Curoi, 
son of Daire, the traditionary head, according to Irish 
history, of the Fenian militia of Munster, but who, as 
we have seen, appears to belong to the body called the 
Feinne of Breatan; and the poem, no doubt, belongs to the 






Ixxxiv INTRODUCTION. 

northern Cumbrian kingdom, which had Dunbreatan] 
for its chief seat. Curoi is called Chief of the Southern 
Sea, and the contest between him and Cuchullin is men 
tioned.^ 

Poems of the same character seem also to have been 
known in the Isle of Man, as O'Connor, in his cata- 
logue of the Stow MS., mentions a MS. containing "Finn 
and Ossian, — a Manx coronach, with Manx on one side 
of the page, and Irish on the other." 

The oldest which has been found in any MSS. pre- 
served in the Highlands is a poem of five quatrains, at 
the end of a glossary contained in a MS. ^vritten prior 
to the year 1500. It is in old Gaelic, and there is an 
interlineal gloss, explaining the meaning of the expres- 
sions in more familiar language. At the end there is a 
line stating that Ossian was the author of the poem. 

It may be not uninteresting to insert here the text of 
the poem, with its glosses : — 

.i. do chodladar mo sliuile 

Tuilsither mo dlierca siiain 

.i. mo sleagli .i. mo sgiatli 

mo ruibhne mum luibhne ar lo 

.i. mo cladhiomh um dhora 

mo ghenam um dliuais ro bhaoi 

.i. mo dliorn fam cliluaia 

agus mo dliuais fam o 

.i. aisHnge .i. tarla 

Adhbhul fisi ar mo ta 

.i. dar leiges .i. mo chti 

dar cinnius go dian mo cliuib 

^ This poem, witl. a translation, is given in tlie Additional Notes, pp. 143, 144. 



INTRODUCTION. IxXXV 

.i. ar mhuio 

ar criobhais a leirg ar art 

.i. saill go fiacuil a carbui 

fo cheird bracht go feic a cuil 

.i. throigh .i. gun broigli 

Triocba treathan damh gun naibli 

.1. go moing a srona 

iona taoibh go a tul moing tuinn 

.i. orladh .i. na fiacuil 

Triocba nena Finn na feic 

.i. a sa cionn amacli 

asseicsi tuas re fa thuinn 

.i. coimed re coire gach sul di 

Meidis re habbron a dberc 
meidis re mes afert fo 

.i. tesgus mo cladhiomh a muineal 

Sealus mo ghenam a muin 

.i, mo chu as a cluais 

agus mo chuibh as a ho 

.1. muic 

Criobais mhara Tallann tair 

•i ria cloic ris ambenann tonn 

benus ria hail tairges tnu 

.i. mo bboill as comairce diob nert 

mo leo nam fhaosamh domniadh 

.i. ni lag mar tu 

mar tusa ni triath mar tn 



Oisin ro chan ann sin attraigh mara tallann. 
ar nia na mnice. 



TRANSLATION. 

My eyes slumbered in sleep. 
My spear was with my shield, 
My sword was in my hand, 
And my hand under my ear. 



ixxxvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



A strange dream happened to me, 

I set swiftly my dogs 

On a sow in the plain upon flesh. 

She was fat to the tusk in her jaw, 

Thirty feet for me with my shoes 

In her side to the beard of her snout. 

Thirty inches for Finn in her tusk 

Fat above on her under her hide. 

Large as a caldron was each eye, 

Large as a vessel the hollow beneath. 

My sword hewed in her neck. 

And my dogs fixed on her ear. 

Sow of the sea of eastern Tallann, 

Which strikes the rock where the wave touches. 

My limbs were to me a protection to me strong, 

As thyself not weak like thee. 

Ossian sung this at the shore of the sea of Tallann, 
for the champion of the sow.-" 

The tales of Cuchullin and Conlaocli, and the tale of the 
Sons of Uisneach, are good specimens of the second class. 
The latter is one of three tales, called the Three Woes, 
the two others relating to families of the Tuatha De 
Danann ; but though these tales may be Irish, and of this 



1 The scene of this poem is in Scotland, 
the sea of Tallann being said to be in the 
east, and it must have been wiitten in 
Scotland, as the accent is placed on the 
first syllable of the name Oisin. 

The Highlanders call a Avhale muic 
mhara, and, from the description, this 
creature appears to have been a whale. 

On communicating this cnrions poem 
to Professor O'Curry, he informs me that 
there is a copy of it in the Book of Lein- 
ster, an MS. of the thirteenth century. 



The text is the same, but the glosses a 
little different. 

I may take this opportunity of calling 
attention to Professor O'Curry's admir- 
able Lectures on the MS. literature of Ire- 
land, just published. They are most 
interesting and instructive, and for the 
masterly and complete survey taken of 
the subject, as well as for accurate and 
minute detail, they are almost unex- 
ampled in the annals of literature. They 
will well repay perusal. 



INTRODUCTION. Ixxxvii 

period, they contains fragments of poems probably much 
older, and which may have been derived from another 
source. One of the poems in the tale of the Children of 
Uisneach contains such a tender recollection of and 
touching allusion to Highland scenery, that it is hardly 
possible to suppose that it was not originally composed 
by a genuine son of Alban. 

It is the lament of Deirdre or Darthula over Alban, 
and the following is a translation : — 

Beloved land that Eastern land, 
Alba, with its wonders. 

that I might not depart from it, 
But that I go with Naise. 

Beloved is Dunfidhgha and Dun Finn ; 
Beloved the Dun above them ; 
Beloved is Innisdraighende, 
And beloved Dun Suibhne. 

Coillchuan ! Coillchuan ! 
Where Ainnle would, alas ! resort ; 
Too short, I deem, was then my stay 
With Ainnle in Oirir Alban. 

Glenlaidhe ! Glenlaidhe ! 

1 used to sleep by its soothing murmur ; 
Fish, and flesh of wild boar and badger 
Was my repast in Glenlaidhe. 



Glenmasan ! Glenmasan ; 
High its herbs, fair its boughs. 
Solitary was the place of our repose 
On grassy Invermasan. 



IxxXViii INTEODUCTION. 

Gleneitclie ! O Gleneitche ! 
There was raised my earliest liome. 
Beautiful its woods on rising, 
When the sun struck on Gleneitche. 

Glen Urchain ! Glen Urchain ! 
It was the straight glen of smooth ridges. 
Not more joyful was a man of his age 
Than Naoise in Glen Urchain. 

Glendaruadh ! Glendaruadh ! 

My love each man of its inheritance. 

Sweet the voice of the cuckoo on bending bough, 

On the hill above Glendaruadh. 

Beloved is Draighen and its sounding shore ; 
Beloved the water o'er pure sand. 
that I might not depart from the east, 
But that I go with my beloved ! ^ 

The third class of Ossianic poems belongs principally 
to that period when, during the sway of the Lords of 
the Isles, Irish influence was so much felt on the language 
and literature of the Highlands, and when the Highland 
bards and sennachies were trained in bardic schools, pre- 
sided over by Irish bards of eminence. It was at this 
period mainly that the Irish poems assumed so much the 
shape of a dialogue between the Ossianic poets and St. 

* The oldest copy of this tale, which Dun Suibhne, Castle Sween ; Glen- 
was the foundation of Macpherson's laidhe is now called Glenlochy, where 
Darthula, is in the Glenmasan MS., in is Benlaoidhe ; Glenmasan still bears 
the collection in the Advocates' Library, the name ; Gleneitche, in another copy 
which bears the date of 1238, and this called Loch Eitche, is Glenetive and 
translation is made from it. Loch Etive ; Glenurchain is Glenui'chaj'' ; 

The scenery is all in Argyllshire. and Glendaruadh is now called Glen- 

Inis Draighen is Inistrynich in Loch-awe ; daruail. 



INTRODUCTION. Ixxxix 

Patrick, the apostle of Ireland ; and tlie Highland bards 
imitated this form, often adding or prefixing a few sen- 
tences of such dialogue to older poems, or composing 
poems in imitation of Ossian in this form ; but the imi- 
tation, in this respect, of Irish poems by native bards 
is apparent from this, that Patrick is in the Irish 
poems correctly called Mac Calphurn or M'Alphurn, his 
father, according to his own " Confessio," having been 
Calphurnius, but the Highland bards, to whom Patrick's 
history was strange, and this epithet unintelligible, have 
substituted the peculiarly Scotch form of Alpine, and 
styled him Patrick Mac Alpine. 

One of the poems in Macpherson's fragments has been 
one of these — ^the sixth fragment, — which begins and ends 
with a dialogue between Ossian and the son of Alpin. 

It was at the same period that the collection of Gaelic 
poems was made by the Dean of Lismore, and it includes 
many poems in which this dialogue occurs, but in most 
the saint is termed Macalpine, showing its non- Irish 
source. 

The Ossianic .poems in this collection attributed to 
Ossian, Fergus Filidh, and Caoilte, the three Fenian bards, 
and those which are either anonymous or composed by 
imitators, as Gillecalum Mac an OUa and Allan Mac 
Kuadhri, with the other poems which are not Ossianic, 
afford a fair specimen of the poetic literature current in 
the Highlands of Scotland at the close of this period, 
and before the faU of the Lords of the Isles, and the 
Eeformation again severed that country from Ireland, 




XC INTRODUCTION. 

and ushered in a period of reaction and return towards 
the native dialect and Hterature. 

On the whole, then, we fully admit the claims of Ire- 
land to Fenian legends and tales, and their attendant 
poems, but not to an exclusive possession of them. 

We admit that its Fenian topography is authentic, 
but it is not the only one. 

We admit its claim to an early written and cultivated 
speech, but not to the only dialect of Gaelic in which 
such poems once existed. 

We hold that Scotland possesses likewise Fenian 
legends and Ossianic poetry derived from an independent 
source, and a Fenian topography equally genuine ; and we 
consider her dialect of the common Gaelic tongue not 
undeserving of the attention of philologers. 

W. F. S. 



CONTENTS or THE DEAN OF LISMOEE'S MS. 



Note.— The figures on the left hand refer to the pages in the original us. ; and those added on 
the right— to the poems selected for publication— refer to the pages in this volume where 
the translation and the original text will be found. 



P. of MS. Eng. Gaelic. 

The first four pages illegible. 

5. Earl Gerald. 6 Hues. Indistinct. 

6. Author's name defaced. 38 lines on John, son of Sir Eobert 

Stewart. Illegible. 

7. Duncan M'Dougall Maoil. Quatrain on John, son of Colin 

Campbell. 

8. Anonymous. Obscure — apparently on O'Euark. 34 lines. 

10. Duncan Campbell. 12 lines. Satire on Women. 

11. Earl Gerald. 6 lines. Indistinct. 

11. Duncan O'Daly. 6 lines. Religious. 

12, fynn O'Daly. 88 lines. Religious. 

15. Anonymous. 20 lines. Indistinct. 

16, Cochondach Mac Thearlaich bhuiJh. 65 lines. On Irish 

Chiefs. 
19. Muireach Albanach. 14 lines, 

19. Do. 8 lines, 

20. Muireach Lessin Dall O'Daly. 60 lines. 
23. Duncan Mor from Lennox. 10 lines, 
23. Gilchrist Taylor. 32 lines, . 

25. Anonymous. Ossianic. 14 lines, 

26. Do. 15 lines. Illegible, 

27. Six lines in Latin on the Scotch Kings, 
27. Scotch. A legal deed. 

27. Dean's Autograph. Vide Fac-simile, inserted at p. xcvi. 

27. Anonymous. A Quatrain. 

28. Duncan M'Dougall Maoil. 9 lines. 

28, Gilliecallum Mac an Ollaimh. On the Macdonalds, , 95 70 71 

30. Anonymous. 31 lines. An Ursgeul, or Tale. 



157 


120 


121 


158 


120 


121 


Counsels to Chiefs. 






. . 93 


68 


69 


93 


68 


69 


71 


50 


51 



xcu 



CONTENTS OF THE 



P. of MS. 

31. Ossian. 8 lines. The household of Finn, 

32. Anonymous. 36 lines. On M'Glass M'Gluaire. 

33. Do. 23 lines. Satire on Women. 

35. Dougall. Dialogue with his Wedder. 

36. Anonymous. 33 lines. Eulogy on a Lady. 

37. Duncan M'Cailein. 16 lines. 

38. Scotch. The three perilous days in each season. 

39. M'Eachag. On John M'Leod, 

41. John Mor O'Daly. 84 hues. On Tuathal Teachdmhar. 

44. Anonymous. Note on the hanging of Cochrane in 1480. 

45. Do. 14 lines. On Conall M'Scanlan, 
48. Notes of purchases in Perth, etc., in Scotch. 

48. Lines on Marriage, in Scotch. 

49. Anonymous. 18 hues. Indistinct. 

50. Ossian. A Lament, 

51. Maoldonaich M'Aonghuis Mhuilich. 50 lines. To the Virgin 

Mary. 

53. Gon-ie Finn O'Daly. 30 lines. In praise of Gormlay. 

54. Gilliepatrick M'Lachlan. A Quatrain. 

55. John of Knoydart. On O'Cairbar, 
65. Gormlay Ni Fhlainn. Lament for Nial Glundubh, 

56. Nial M'Eoghain hhig. A Quatrain. 

57. Gormlay Ni Fhlainn. Lament for Nial Glundubh, 

57. Anonymous. 30 lines. On Tabblisk (Tables). 

58. Do. A Quatrain, 

59. Do. 8 lines, . 

59. Phelim M 'Dougall. Aphorisms, 

60. Anonymous. A Quatrain, 

61. John M'Murrich, .... 

62. William M'Lachlan. A Quatrain. 

62. Gormlay Ni Fhlainn, 

63. Ossian. " Sliabh nam ban fionn," 

64. Duncan M'Dougall Maoil. A Quatrain. 
64. Duncan M'Pherson, 

64. Anonymous. 

65. Gille Thuirse O'Sluahhainn. 57 lines. Indistinct. 
68. Anonymous. Aphorisms, .... 

68. Earl Gerald. A Satire, .... 

69. Andrew M'Intosh, 

70. The Bard M'Intyre 



Eng. 

1 



Gaelic. 
^ 3 



140 io6 169 



98 nz 73 



i 3 



100 



110 



72 73 
74 75 



101 74 75 



104 


78 


79 


102 


76 


77 


102 


76 


77 


108 


82 


83 


108 


82 


83 


118 


90 


91 


4 


4 


3 



\% 83 



104 


78 


79 


105 


78 


79 


106 


80 


81 


107 


80 


8r 



DEAN OF LISMOEE S MS. 



XClll 



Indistinct. 



Moral. 



6 lines. Do. 



110 84 85 



112 84 85 



P. of MS. Eng. Gaelic; 

71. Allan M'Dougall bain. 32 lines. A Satire on "Women. 
73. Astronomical Notes. 

73. Colin Earl of Argyle. 12 lines. Satire on Women. 

74. Notes of purchases in Dunkeld, etc. 

75. Anonymous. 49 lines. On Muirclieartach, an Ulster Prince. 
77. Scotch. Satirical. 13 lines. 

77. Two anonymous Quatrains. 

78. List of Scottish Kings, from Boece. 

84. Eoin M'Dhunchaidh Ruaidh. 12 lines. 

85. Anonymous. On Alexander the Great, 

87. Song of the Three Brothers. 32 lines. 
' 88. Gerald. 6 lines. A Satire on Women. 

88. Fearchar M'Phadruig Grannd (Grant). 

88. John M'Murrich. A Quatrain, 

89. Duncan M'Pherson, 4 lines. On Eoin Riabhaich. 

91. List of Names. Genealogical. Eobert " clarsair Leoid," 

"harper of Lude," among them. 
No number. Fragments on Astrology, etc. 

93. Ossian. " Oath Fionntraigh, " 767 

97. Anonymous. 81 lines. On M'Ricard of Connaught. 
101. Duncan Mor O'Daly. 26 lines. On Cathal's Belt. 

103. Finlay, the red-haired bard. M'Gregor's Horse, . . 112 84 83 

104. Do. do. OnM'Gregor, . , 114 86 87 
106. Teague og O'Huggin. 49 lines. Eeligious. 

106. Sir Duncan M'Kermont. 20 lines. Satire on Women. 

109. Duncan M'Cailein. On a Miser, 116 88 89 

111. Do. Satire on Donald donn. 14 lines. 

112. Dermod O'Heffernan. 36 lines. An Eulogy. 

113. Muireach Albanach. A Quatrain. 

114. Ossianic. "Am brat," 72 50 51 

115. Eoin Liath M'Aonghuis. 6 lines. 

117, Author's name defaced. 80 lines. Indistinct. On John Lord 

of the Isles. 
120. Gilchrist Taylor, 48 lines. An Ecclesiastical Legend. 
122. Duncan Mor O'Daly. 36 lines. Do. 

124. Gorry finn O'Daly. 44 lines. On O'Brien. 
126. Ossian. " Feeble this Night," ..... 13 10 11 

128. Earl Gerald. On Death. 27 lines. 

129. Duncan M'Cabe. On the Macdougalls, . . . 119 90 91 

130. John M'Ewen M'Eacharn. Do. . . . . 121 92 93 



XCIV 



CJONTENTS OF THE 



p. of MS. 

133. Caoilte M'Eonan, 

141. Coutinuation from page 215, 

143. Finlay M'Nab. On the Book of Poems, 

144. Earl Gerald. 6 lines. 

144. Genealogy of Writer, and date 1512, 

145. Fergus the Bard. " Kosg Gliuill," 

147. Allan M'Eory. " Bas Dliiarmaid, " 

148. Eafric M'Corquodale. Elegy on M'Niel, 

149. Duncan M'Cailein. 16 lines. 

150. Muireach Albanacli. 81 lines. Hymn to the Virgin. 
] 53. Gilchrist Bruilingeach, bard an Lymin. 43 lines. 
155. Dougall M'Ghille ghlais. 48 lines. On M'Gregor, 

157. Duncan Campbell, the good knight. 12 lines. 

158. Gillepatrick M'Lachlan. 78 lines. On James, son of John, 

Indistinct. 
161. Anonymous. 14 lines. A Lament. 
161. Do. The Clans 

163. Notes on Adam's Family. 

164. Ossianic. The Expedition of Eight, .... 

165. Gorry finn. 21 lines. Moral. 

166. Teague Og. 72 lines. Eehgious. 

170. Eobert M'Lamont " a Gassgaitr." 16 lines. Moral. 

Ossianic. " Binn guth," ...... 

Date 12th February 1526. Tndiction 15. 4th year of Pope 
Clement vii. 

Anonymous. 6 lines. 
172. Ossianic. The Banners of the Feinn, .... 
174. Do. "Which is the sweetest Music?" 
174. Do. Finn's Feast, 

176. Anonymous. A Quatrain on " Euaraidh Eodasach." 

177. Do. 20 lines. On a Harp. 

179. Baron Ewin M'Comie. On Sickness, .... 

179. Ossian. " Here I saw the Feinn," .... 

181. Fili fuge ebrietatem. 

181. Three Quatrains. The authors of two, Andrew M'Tntosh and 

Gillespick M'Niel. 

182. Latin Genealogy of our Lord. 

183. Scotch. The divisions of Leland. 

184. Verses in Scotch. 

185. Physiological Note's in Latin. 



171. 
171. 



171. 



Eng. 


Gaelic. 


62 


4^ 43 




112 123 


125 


94 95 


161 


124 125 


43 


28 29 


30 


20 21 


126 


96 97 



128 98 99 



131 100 lO] 



74 S^ 53 



58 59 



76 


54 


55 


80 


58 


59 


82 


60 


61 


133 


102 


103 


15 


xo 


II 



DEAN OF LISMORE S MS. 



XCV 



34 


102 


103 


37 


104 


105 


41 


108 


109 


84 


62 


63 


17 


12 


13 


43 


no 


II I 



113 



p. of MS. Eng. Gaelic. 

185. Et ego Jacobus Gregorii. 

186. Chronicle in Latin, beginning with the death of Malcom 

Kenmore. 
199. Measurements of Noah's Ark. 

199. Domhnull liath M'Dhughaill Mhic Grigoir. 62 lines. Satire. 
202. Duncan Campbell, the good knight. 26 lines. On Old Age. 
204. Author's name wanting. To Archibald Earl of Argyle, 

208. Dunchadh M'Dhughaill Mhaoil. The M'Gregors, 

209. Mac Gille Fhiontaig, the poet. The M'Gregors, . 
212. Ossianic. Dialogue with St, Patrick, 

215. Ossian. " Urnuidh Oisiain," , . . . 

216. Finlay, the red-haired bard. On Allan M'Kuarie, 

217. Two Quatrains by Finlay M'Nab. 
217. Anonymous. On the M'Leods of Lewis, . . . 146 

219. Latin Notes. 

220. Ossian. " Fainesoluis," 20 14 15 

223. Dunchadh M'Dhughaill Mhaoil. 29 lines. Satire. 

225. Duncan Campbell. 12 lines. Satire on Women. 

225. Anonymous. 6 lines. 

226. Gillebride beag M'Conmidhe. 85 lines. On M'Eachain 
230. Fergus the bard. " Cath Ghabhra," . 
232. Allan M'Rory. "Cath Ghabhra," 
236. Gilliecallum Mac an Ollairnh. " Bas Chonlaoich," 

239. Duncan Og. The Seven Mortal Sins, 

240. Gilliecallum Mac an Ollaimh. On John Lord of the Isles 
242. Genealogy of Malcom Kenmore. 

Gilchrist Bruilingeach, bard an Lymin. 48 lines. On Irish 

Chiefs. 
Turn O'Meilchonor. 84 lines. On Irish Chiefs. 
Quatrain by Finlay the red. 
Fragments. Two lines on St. Patrick. 
251. Contissa Ergadien, Isabella. 8 lines. 

251. Duncan Campbell, the good knight. On Priests. 

252. Teague og O'Huggin. 63 lines. On the Cross. 
255. Muireach Albanach. Ill lines. Do. 
260. Teague og O'Huggin. 92 lines. Religious. 

263. Arthur dall M'Gurkich. Attack on Castle Sween, , 151 116 117 

266. The Bard M'Intyre. A Ship on Loch Rannoch. 

267. MTherson. 28 lines. 

269. O'Meilchonor. 51 lines. On Nial frasach. 



48 


32 33 


35 


24 25 


50 


34 35 


155 


128 129 


3S, 148 


112 113 



244. 

246. 
249. 
250. 



XCVl 



COKTENTS OF THE LISMORE MS. 



P. of MS. Eng. Gaelic. 

271. Gilchrist Taylor. 36 lines. Moral. 
271. M'Cailein mor, id est, Cailean maitli. An Epigram. 
273. Duncan og Albanach. 37 lines. A Dream. 
275. Gilchrist Taylor. 62 lines. On the Host. 

278. Gille glas Mac an Taileir. 48 lines. On McGregor. 

279. Earl Gerald. 10 lines. 

280. Ossianic. The Greatness of the Feinn, ... 87 64 65 

281. Finlay the red. 26 lines. On M'Gregor. 

282. The Bard M'Intyre. 26 lines. 

284. Muireach Albanach. A Prayer, I59122123 

285. Isabella Ni vie Cailein. 6 lines. 

286. Anonymous. 36 lines. Indistinct. 

287. Ossianic, 88 64 65 

291. Latin. The Ages of the World. 

292. Isabella Ni vie Cailein, 155 118 119 

293. Teague og O'Huggin. 26 lines. 

294. Ossian. Eulogy on Finn, 26 18 19 

296. Duncan mor O'Daly. 54 lines. To the Virgin. 

301. An caoch O'Cluain. "Fraoch," 54 36 37 

303. Earl Gerald. 20 lines. 

304. Finlay, the red-haired bard. 39 lines. On M'Diarmad. 

Illegible. 

306. Duncan M'Cailein. 8 lines. 

807. Anonymous. 15 lines. Indistinct. 

307. Muireach Albanach. A Lament. 98 lines. Indistinct. 




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ri P/if^T or o?siAN"& ode; to finm 



THE BOOK OF THE DEAN OF LISMORE, 



The author of this is Ossian,^ the son of Finn : 

I've seen the household of Finn. 
No men were they of coward race. 
I saw by my side a vision 
Of the hero's househohi yesterday. 



' The name of tliis poet lias given rise 
to some controversy between the Scotch 
and Irish Gael. By the latter it is pro- 
nounced Oisin, the accent falling on the 
last syllable ; by the former it is pro- 
nounced Ossian, the accent falling on the 
first. Dean M'Gregor spells the word 
sometimes Ossan, but usually Ossin. It 
is manifest from the use of the ss that he 
intends the accent to fall upon the first 
syllable, according to the Scottish mode. 
The Scottish pronunciation would ap- 
pear to have been the same in his days 
as now. This form of the word we have 
retained in our translation. We do not 
mean to institute any comparison be- 
tween the Irish and Scottish mode. The 
difference clearly arises from the pecu- 
liarity of each dialect, the Irish almost 
uniformly, in words of two syllables, 
laying the accent on the last, and the 
Scottish upon the first syllable. 



2 The Dean's Finn is the Fingal 
of some writers. " Fionn," pronounced 
" Fiughn," genitive, " Fhinn," pro- 
nounced " Ighn," is the pi-eseut Scottish 
and Irish form of the word, and we have 
preserved this in M'Gregoi-'s own ortho- 
graphy. Scottish writers have, however, 
been unjustly accused of manufacturing 
the term " Fingal." It is not, as some 
Irish scholars have maintained, a mo- 
dern corruption of Fin mac Cuil, but a 
word known and in use for centuries. 
John Barbour, who wrote his metrical 
life of King Kobert Bruce in 1375, uses 
it as a familiar term : — 

" He said, Methiiiks Martheoke's son 
Right as Gow-mac-Morn was won, 
To have from Fingal his menzie. " 

It would appear, from the analogies of 
the Gaelic language, to be the complete 
form of the Avord. " Fionn" means fair 



THE BOOK OF 

I've seen the houseliold^ of Art/^ 

He with the brown-haired son of gentle speech ; 

"No better man I ever saw. 

I've seen the household of Finn. 

Who ever saw what I have seen ? 

I've seen Finn armed with Luno's son.^ 

How sad the mournful memory. 

I've seen the household of Finn. 

Never can I recount the ills 

Which now do crown my head. 

Do thou free us for ever from pain. 

I've seen the household of Finn. 

I've seen, etc. 



being in reality an adjective noun ; " Gal " 
is a common termination of Celtic pro- 
per names. Hence, '' Fionn Glial/' or 
^'Fingal," means tlie ^'fair-liaired one." 
In like manner, we have "Dubh," black, 
"Glial," " Dubhghal," or "Dugald;" 
"Donn," brown, " Ghal," '^ Donngbal," 
Dungal, Donald, the brown-haired one. 
Hence, Fionn is a contraction of the 
name. It is remarkable as an instance 
of the changes which take place in the 
use of words, that in modern times 
" Fionnghal" is the name of a woman, 
and is usually translated " Flora." 

1 In the original the word translated 
here, " household," is " tylych," or 
*' teaglilach," a family. The literal 
translation would be, "the family of 
Art." But this would not convey the 
idea in the original, the Celtic family in 
such a case as this implying the military 
followers of the head or chief. It seems 
probable that these ancient Celtic chiefs, 
like chiefs in more recent times, had 
their armed followers in constant attend- 
ance on them. 

2 Art was King of Ireland, according 
to Irish authorities, in the beginning of 
the third century. Tradition says that 
he was the father of Grainne, the wife of 



Finn, whose defection and escape with 
Diarmad led to the event so famous in 
ancient Celtic poetry, the death of Diar- 
mad. A poem relating the event will be 
found in this collection. 

2 "Mac an Loinn," or "Luno's son," 
was the famous sword of Fingal, manu- 
factured by Loinn mac Liobhaidh, the 
celebrated smith, or "Vulcan," of the 
Celts. The sword Avas so effective that 
in no case was it ever required to give a 
second stroke. The Gaelic words are, 
" Cha d' fhag e fuigheall beuma," — It 
left no remnant for its stroke. We have 
heard of a remarkable instance of the 
effective use of this phrase in the pulpit 
by a distinguished Highland minister, 
Mr. Lachlan M'Kenzie of Lochcarron. 
In illustrating the completeness of the 
one sacrifice of our Lord, he said, and to 
a Highland audience it was electrifying, 
"Chuala sibh mu 'n chlaidheamh bh' 
aig Fionn, nach d' fhag riamh fuigheall 
beuma," — You have heard of FingaVs 
sword, which never needed to give a se- 
cond blow. " Loinn mac Liobhaidh," the 
" Vulcan" of the Celts, is in reality 
Brightness, the son of polishing, a fact 
which would go far to prove the mythi- 
cal character of this famous artisan. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 



The author of this is Ossian : ^ 

Long are the clouds this night above me ; 

The last was a long niglit to me. 

This day, although I find it long, 

Yesterday was longer still. 

Each day that comes is long to me, 

Such indeed was not my wont. 

Now is no fight, or battle-field, 

IsTo learning noble feats of arms 

Without maiden, song, or harp ; 

'No crushing bones or warlike deeds, 

No studious learning any more, 

No hospitable heart or board. 

No soft wooing, and no chase. 

In both of which I took delight. 

Without the battle-march or fight, 

Alas I how sorrowful life's close ; 

No hunting of the hind or stag, 

How different from my heart's desire ! 

No trappings for our hounds, no hounds. 

Long are the clouds this night above me. 

No rising up to noble feats. 

No mirthful sport as we would wish. 

No swimming heroes in our lakes. 

1 This piece is extracted and printed genuine compositions of Ossian, there 

in the report on the Poems of Ossian, is sufficient evidence that the references 

published by the Highland Society. Dr. to the Saint are of more recent introduc- 

Smith, however, who made the extract, tion, in the fact, that if Ossian saw Art, 

appears, not to have read it with much who lived in the opening of the third 

care or accuracy, and the concluding century, as he tells us in the preceding 

portion, from the twentieth line down- fragment, he could hardly hold a dia- 

wards, is suppressed altogether. This. logue with St. Patrick, who flourished 

seems to have arisen from a desire to in the fifth. In the present publication 

suppress all the references in those the poems of every kind are given just 

poems to St. Patrick, and thus to estab- as they stand, without any reference to 

lish by all possible means their Scot- the effect on existing systems and theo- 

tish origin. If any of the Poems are the ries, Scotch or Irish. 



THE BOOK OF 

Long are the clouds this night above me ; 

In this great world none is like me, 

So sad, how sad my case ! 

A poor old man now dragging stones. 

Long are the clouds this night above me, 

The last man of the Feine am I, 

The great Ossian, the son of Finn, 

Listening to the sound of bells.^ 

Long are the clouds this night above me. 

Find, Patrick, from thy God 

What our eternal state shall be. 

Freed may we ever be from ill. 

Long are the clouds this night above me. 

Long are the clouds, etc. 



The Author of tliis is Ossian : 

Once on a time when Finn my loved 
Went to hunt on the " Fair maids' hill," " 
With three thousand nobles of the Feine, 
Their shields aloft o'er their heads. 

1 The bells used in Cliristian worsliip. wliich the almost uiiiform term for a 

" Patrick of the bells," is a common ap- mountain is " Beinn," the English 

pellation of St. Patrick in these compo- " Ben." This is one of the marked dif- 

sitions. ferences between Irish and Scottish topo- 

2 ''Sliabhnambanfionn," orthe "hill graphy. The term under consideration 

of the fair-haired vromen," is said to be has som.etimes been called in Scotland 

one of the mountains of Tipperary, in " Sliabh nam beann fionn," "the hill of 

the neighbourhood of Clonmel. It is now the fair hills," a manifest mistake, which 

called " Sliabh nam ban," and has seve- the meaningless tautology should be 

ral traditions of the Peine associated with enough to prove. Topographical phrases 

it. The writer is not aware of any moun- in the Gaelic language are usually not 

tain of the name in Scotland ; besides, only grammatically accurate, but of re- 

although the Avord "Sliabh" is well markable elegance in their structure, 

known and in common use among the The interpretations often put upon them 

Scottish Highlanders, it is seldom found are a monstrous outrage upon this sound 

in the topography of the country, in and invariable principle. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 6 

Ossian ! thy words are sweet to me, 
My blessing on the soul of Finn.^ 
Tell us the number of the deer 
That fell on the " Fair maids' hill." 

How vigorously we shook our spears, 
For never hast thou sung the deer 
Slain on the " Fair maids' hill/' 
By the hand of Finn of the feasts. 
Tell them the tale in full, 
My blessing on thy guileless lips. 
Had you your dress and your armour 
When you went forth to the chase ? 

We had our dress and our armour 
When we went forth to the chase ; 
There was no Fian amongst us all 
Without his fine soft flaxen shirt, 
Without his under coat of substance soft. 
Without a coat of mail of brightest steel, 
, The covering for his head adorned with gems. 
And in his hand he bore two spears, 
Besides a fierce and conquering shield, 
And sword that never failed to cleave the skull. 
Wert thou to search the universe 
Thou would'st not find a braver man than Finn ; 
Of noblest race and fairest form, 
'No arm from him could carry victory. 
A.B he went forth to try his snow-white hound 
Who 'mongst us all was like to Finn ? 
Westward we went, an ordered band, 

1 It is obvious that parts of these com- ness of the work, and can be explained 

positions are dialogues, for the most part upon the supposition, that these portions 

between Ossian and St. Patrick. The were either prefixed or adjoined at an 

dialogue portion in these editions of after period by some other hand to serve 

Dean McGregor's is generally either pre- a purpose. This cannot be said of those 

fixed or added to the body of the poem. poems which are in the form of dialogues 

This is quite consistent with the genuine- throiighout. 



6 THE BOOK OF 

To hunt on tlie " Fair maids' hill." 

Patrick, pupil of the church's head, 

Bright was the sun above us. 

As in the midst of us sat Finn. 

Eastward and westward sweetly rung, 

From hill to hill the voice of hounds. 

Arousing boars and harts. 

Then Finn and Bran ^ did sit alone 

A little while upon the mountain side, 

Each of them panting for the chase. 

Their fierceness and their wrath aroused. 

Then did we unloose three thousand hounds 

Of matchless vigour and anequalled strength. 

Each of the hounds brought down two deer. 

Long ere 'twas time to bind them in their thongs. 

That day there fell six thousand deer, 

Down in the vale that lies beneath the hill ; 

There never fell so many deer and roe 

In any hunt that e'er till this took place. 

But sad was the chase down to the east. 

Thou cleric of the church and bells. 

Ten hundred of our hou.nds, with golden chains. 

Fell wounded by ten hundred boars : 

Then by our hands there fell the boars, 

Which wrought the ill upon the plain. 

And were it not for blades and vigorous arms. 

That chase had been a slaughter. 

Patrick of the holy crosier. 

Eastward or westward, hast thou ever seen, 

Another chase, in all thy days. 

Greater than that of Finn and of the Peine ? 

^ Bran was the famous hound of Finn. common names for staghounds in the 

The word means " a raven," but used as Highlands at this day. Eeference is made 

an adjective it signifies " black," which a few lines before this to a white dog, 

is apparently the origin of the name. '^achoinghil," translated '^snow-white," 

Another of his dogs was called " Luath," ' ' geal," implying the most intense white- 

or '' Swift," also an adjective. These are ness. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 

This then was the hunt of Finn, 
Thou son of Alpin ^ of the holy reli<?s, 
More than thy howling in the church 
Do I love to tell the day. 

Once on a time, etc. 



The author of this is Ossian :^ 

Once on a time as Patrick of the holy crook 

Betook him to his cell, 

He sought as his companion 

Ossian of gentle mien. 

Now let me hear, he said, 
Ossian, whose courage has made foes retreat, 
Who of all those whom thou ne'er sang'st. 
Most vexed the Feine of Finn ? 

Priest of the spotted crook,^ 
Thy lifetime it would take 

1 The Irish call this word " Ar- dinavia, although afterwards called King 
pMiin,"inLatin, "Calphurnius." In the of the world. It is very probable that 
Highlands the name is uniformly " Al- both to the Scotch and Irish Celt Scan- 
pin,"— "Padruig mac Alpain." dinavia was at this period synonymous 

2 This composition the Irish call the with the world. This poem is here at- 
battle of " Ventry Harbour," a place in tributed to Ossian, although it is very 
the county of Kerry in Ireland. There doubtful whether it is so in the MS. 
are, however, Pintrays in Scotland, The writing is so indistinct, that it is 
which are apparently the same name, impossible to read the title correctly. It 
and Mr. Skene has called the attention is hardly necessary to remind the reader 
of the writer to the fact, that there that the poem is in the form of a dia- 
ls a Sguir Dhaire dhuinn, " the hill of logue between the bard, whoever he may 
Daire donn," in Duror in Argyleshire. be, and St. Patrick. The name of the 
Irish Antiquaries say the battle was saint seems to have been a favourite one 
fought in the third century between the with the bards, and was used no doubt 
Feine of Ireland and Daire donn, or to give consequence and currency to 
Daire the brown, King of the world. It their compositions, 

will be seen in this copy that Daire is ^ The crozier of St. Patrick. Several 

introduced as King of Lochlin or Scan- ancient Celtic croziers are still in exist- 



THE BOOK OF 

To tell in liuman speech 

The glory of the Feine of Finn. 

Since without guile thou art, 

And now that they are dead, dost live, 

Watch thou for ever on, 

And tell the deeds done by the Feine. 

Should I be spared for fifty years, 

Flearing thy music in thy cell 

Till my death's day, I could not tell 

The noble deeds of the Feine of Finn. 

The kingdoms of the earth in all its breadth 

Belonged to us on every side. 

Tribute we raised from all of them for Finn,^ 

Else filled them with the shout of war. 

In this wide earth there was not one 

That dared refuse us, 

'Not ev'n in Alve^ of the spotted spears. 

With all its power and its untold renown. 



euce. Two are well known in Scotland. aggeration. But there may be some liis- 
One of tliem is tlie Qnigrich, or croziev of tory hidden within its folds. There is 
St. Fillan, now in possession of a family of sufficient evidence to prove that the 
the name of Dewar in Canada, to whose Feine, whoever they were, were not con- 
progenitor it was intrusted by Eobert fined to Ireland. We have numerous 
Bruce at thebattle of Bannockburn. An ancient Celtic compositions in which re- 
interesting notice of this relic has re- ference is made to the Feine of Scotland, 
cently been published by Dr. D. Y\^ilson and the Feine of Britain, meaning either 
of Toronto. Another is the crozier of Wales, or England and Wales together. 
St. Munn, now in the Museum of the The truth with regard to Finn and his 
Society of Antiquaries in Scotland, and Feine seems even yet to be a long way 
long in possession of a family called the off. 

Barons of Bachul (a crozier, 'from the ^ This is said to be "Almhuin," or 

Latin J?acwZti5), in the island of Lismore. Allen, the residence of Finn, accord- 

A notice of this relic will be found in the ing to Irish accounts, in the county of 

transactions of the Scottish Antiquaries, Kildare. The Avord has a strong resem- 

from the able pen of Mr. Cosmo Innes. blance to "Alba," the Gaelic name for 

The word " breac," or spotted, applied Scotland ; and in reading ancient Gaelic 

to the crozier, must refer to its ornamen- MSS., care must be taken to distinguish 

tation. The term will be found elsewhere the two. We give the name in the Dean's 

applied to spears or swords. orthography, whatever the place may 

^ This is a curious piece of Bardic ex- be. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 

Would'st tliou but tell them now, 
Ossian, of tlie fierce assaults, 
Which was the stoutest arm 
Among the men that followed Finn. 

Thou sett'st me to a painful task, 

Priest, thou pupil of the heavenly king, 

1 could not till the judgment day. 
Tell of the Feine, the men and deeds. 

Yet since it so fell out that thou outliv'st them 
Ossian of sweet and pleasing songs. 
Which would'st thou chuse of all the Feinn, 
To stand in battle by thy shield ? 

Oscar and Caoilte and Gaul, 

And Luthy's son, of sharpest swords ; 

Kound Cumhars son,^ they well might stand, 

No nobler band in battle fought ; 

Bloody Fargon, son to the king, 

And Carroll Y/ith the murderous spear ; 

Dermin, brave and fair, who nothing feared. 

And bore his pointed shield aloft, 

Coll Caoilte's son, so gentle at the feast ; 

Core, a warrior of no tender blows ; 

Eyno, son to the king ; — ■ 

A band than which no braver fought. 

The fair-haired Fillan, who was son to Finn, 

And Garry, than whom no bloodier foe ; 

The guileless Dyrin, Doveran's son, 

Hugh, son of Garry of the powerful arm, 

I, myself, and Gaul the son of Small, 



^ Finn was Curahal's son. The word 
is pronounced " Finn mac Cuil," — very 
niucli as M'Doiigal is pronounced in the 
speaking of Gaelic. The writer has been 
led to think that traces of " Cual " 
(Cumhal) might be found in the King 



Coil of Ayrshire. The whole region about 
the scene of Coil's territory and sepulchre 
has been purely Celtic, and the grave 
itself bears marks of being constructed 
in the early Celtic method. 



10 THE BOOK OF 

And Daire of oaken frame, brave Eonan's son ; 

The armourer's three sons, men without guile, 

Whose ruddy armour gleamed, adorned with gold. 

I^ow that I tell my tale to thee, 

Cleric that dwell'st at Port-na-minna, 

No man of all the Feine was known to me 

But one, to whom all other men must yield. 

But, now, do thou be seated in thy chair. 

Take up thy pen, we'll number all the host. 

The host of brave and noble men 

Who came, well-ordered bands, unto the Feine. 

Across the sea the King of Lochlin came, 

The brown-haired^ Daire of famous shield, 

From Conn to wrest the tribute paid by Erin, 

A mournful tale for us and all our host. 

Our Feinn had friends who came to give them aid. 

Men from the sides of every hill. 

Led on by Cairbar of the sinewy arm. 

Of these four bands came safe to land. 

Of the Feinn themselves came seven bands. 

Three from the east, the half of Erin called from Conn.^ 

The greater number in the battle fell. 

But few escaped the bands of Daire donn. 

Down with his fleet lay Daire donn 

Himself and all his host. 

Of these were thirty score ^ 

Who ne'er again did see their native land. 

There watched them near the shore 

Conn Crithear of the well-aimed strokes. 

He seized the men of India there. 

And raised the king's head on the mountain side. 

1 As already observed, Daire donn, or half, called from Mogha Nuadhat, King 
'' Daire the brown," is called here the of Munster, both in the second century. 
King of Lochlin. ^ The Celts always count by twenties 

2 Ireland was divided into two great up to 400. When a Highlander speaks 
sections : the northern, called Leth of 340 or 360 of anything, he uniformly 
Chuinn, or Conn's half, from Conn of says seventeen score or eighteen score, 
the hundred battles, King of Ulster ; the The numbers given here are an instance 
soxithern, called Leth Mhogha, or Mogh's of the poetic license. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 11 

This famous Conn, the son of Ulster s king. 
And DoUir, no less famed for warlike deeds. 
We left upon the strand, 
Drowned in mutual clasp beneath the waves. 
Dathach's three sons, no braver men. 
Ascending from the place where lay the ships, 
Feartan and Kerkal, he with the large round head. 
We left their bodies naked on the strand. 
Owar,-^ the armed daughter of the King of Greece, 
And Forna of the heavy sturdy blows . 
We left, a vacant grin upon their faces. 
We knew no sorrow as we left them there. 
Four of the King of Lochlin's sons we left, 
Slain by our fierce, resistless arms. 
The three Balas from Borrin in the east. 
Hardly escaped our murderous blows. 
Great as was the king of the world, 
Daire donn, with shield of purest white, 

We left his body, too, upon the strand. 

Slain by the blows of the victorious Feine. 

Of all the world's hosts, brave though they were, 

None did escape the slaughter 

Except the King of France alone. 

Who, like a swallow as it grasps the air. 

Fled from fear of noble Oscar, 

And even once his sole ne'er touched the earth 

Until he got to Glenabaltan, as men relate ; 

Then and there only did he find him rest. 

It was on Fintray's strand, down at the sea, 

1 This daughter of the King of Greece used the Greek letters. This is a remark- 
is well known in Celtic tradition. In Mr. able statement, and one of which too 
J. F.Cam^'belYs Tales of the West High- little use has been made in discussing 
lands, vol. ii. p. 470, it will be seen that the social condition of the early Gael, 
traces of her existence are found still in At the same time, we learn from the his- 
the island of Barra. Greece was not un- tory of the Gallic war that the literature 
known to the ancients. Caesar tells us of Gaul was drawn from Britain, at least 
that the Gauls, although not committing her priests studied there, which can have 
their religious mysteries to paper, in com- no other meaning, 
mon writing which was familiar to them, 



12 THE BOOK OF 

Our people made this slaughter, 

Of these, the kings of all the world, 

And drank our full of vengeance. 

Our fierce and conquering arms 

Laid many a noble warrior low ; 

Many a sword and shield 

Lay shattered on the strand, 

The strand of Fintray of the port ; 

Many dead bodies lay upon the earth, 

Many a hero with a vacant grin. 

Much was the spoil we gathered in the fight. 

Patrick, son of noble Alpin, 

Even of the Feine themselves, none did escape 

The fierce and murderous fight 

Except two ordered bands, 

Nor were their bodies whole. 

The sons of Boisgne"^ made one band of those, 

A race, with hands that knew no tender grasp, 

Then came the sons of Morn,^ who with the sons of Smail 

Made up the second band. 

By thy hand, noble Priest 

In that sore fight, there perished of our Feine 

Five well-trained bands 

Who left us for the strand. 

Thirty luckless bands, 

A thousand score in each, 

We numbered of the men of Daire donn, 

That never reached the waves. 

Were I to answer thee, Priest, 

As thou desir'st to hear my every tale, 

Down to the time we^ Gawra's battle fought, 

1 The race of the Feine to wliich Finn These are tlie Irish accounts, and must 

belonged. The Irish say they occu- be taken as contributions to a correct 

pied Leinster and the eastern part of elucidation of the history of these events, 

Ulster. if they have a real history. 

^ The race to Vvhich the famous Gaul ^ A poem on this famous battle v/ill 

belonged. They are said to have occu- be found in a subsequent part of this 

pied Connaught and the west of Ireland. collection. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 13 

We never lost our power. 

Then did we seize the ships ; 

We took the heavy silver of the king, 

The gold, the garments, and the other spoil ; 

Each half of Erin had its share. 

Holy Patrick of the relics, 

Shall I meet death within thy house of prayer ? 

Cover thou my form with earth, 

Since thou knowest well my tale. 

Ossian, since thou art wearied now. 

Make thy peace, that thou may'st die. 

Take up thy prayer and ask for mercy, 

Early each day call on thy God, 

And when, on the judgment day, thou readiest Sion, 

Where all men shall be gathered. 

May Michael, Mary, and the Son of God 

Take thee kindly by the hand. 

May the Twelve Apostles, with their song of praise, 

Each holy cleric, and each prophet. 

Me save from hell. 

For I've been very sinful in my day. 

Once on a time.^ 



The author of this is Ossian : 

Feeble this night is the power of my arm. 

My strength is no more as it was ; 

No wonder though I should mourn. 

Poor old relic that I am ; 

Sad that such should be my lot, 

1 It will be seen in this and the pre- cient Celtic Poetry, and is a sure indica- 

vious pieces, that the first few lines are tion that we have reached the end of the 

repeatedat the close of every poem. This piece, 
practice is uniformly followed in all an- 



14 THE BOOK OF 

Beyond all men who tread the earth, 
Wearily dragging stones along 
To the church on the hill of the priest. 
I have a tale which I would tell 
Eegarding our people, Patrick : 
Listen to Finn's prediction. 
Shortly ere thou cam'st, Priest, 
■ ■ The hero was to build a fort, 

On Cuailgne's-^ bare and rounded hill. 

He laid it on the Peine of Pail^ 

Materials for the w^ork to get. 

Two-thirds of all his famous fort 

He laid upon the sons of Morn ; 

The other third he laid on me, 

And on the other sons of Boisgne. 

I answered, but not aright, 

The son of Cumhal, son of Trenmor. 

I said I would cast off his rule. 

And would submit to him no more. 

Then for long Finn held his peace, 

The hero hard to vanquish. 

He who knew no guile nor fear, 

When my answer he had heard, 

His words to me were these, 

The words of Finn, prince of the Peine : 

Thou shalt be dragging stones awhile 
Ere to thy mom^nful home thou goest. 

1 A hill said to be in the county of oneof the grandest of the Scottish moxin- 
Armagh, celebrated in the ancient poem tains. The person from whom both this 
of Tain bo Chnailgne," or "The cattle and the Irish hills of the name were 
spoil of Cuilinn." It is said to have called, is said to have been Cuilionn, a 
been here that Cuchullin resided, whence Drnidical priest of great fame. The 
probably his name, Cu Chuailgne, or word means also the Holly tree, from 
Cuchullin, the Hound of CulUinn. In whence the derivation is sufficiently pro- 
Irish History Cuchullin is said to have bable. 

lived a couple of centuries previous to ^ "Fail" is an ancient name for Ire- 

the era of Fingal. land. The word signifies fate j hence 

The reader may be reminded that there " Innisfail," or the " Island of fate," or, 

is a mountain in Skye called Cuilinn, more probably, " the sacred island." 



THE DEAN OF LTSMORE. 



15 



Then did I rise up in wrath, 
From Cnmhal's son of bloody sword. 
There followed me of all the Feine, 
The fourth battalion, hardy and brave. 
Then was I long with the Feine, 
On all things I my judgment gave. 
Many were there with me then, 
But now, alas, I'm feeble, feeble ; 
I was counsellor to the Feine, 
In all emergencies, how feeble. 
How" many men that do not know 
That on this earth I'm feeble, feeble. 
This night my body's frame is feeble, 
Patrick, I believe thy words. 
My hands, my feet, and head, 
AU of them are feeble, feeble. 

Feeble, etc. 



The author of this is Ossian : 

Here have I seen the Feine, 

I have seen Conan and Gaul, 

Finn, and Oscar my son, 

Eyno, Art, and brown-haired Diarmad,^ 

Brave M'Luy,^ he of noble mien. 

The red-haired Garry,^ also Hugh the less. 



1 Diarmad was the Adonis of the 
Feine. He is celebrated for his beauty, 
which led finally to his death, as will be 
seen in a future poem. He is said to 
have been the Ancestor of the clan Camp- 
bell, who are hence called " Clann Diar- 
maid," or the " children of Diarmad." 
The M'Diarmads, as well as some other 
subordinate clans, are also said to be of 
the same stock. 

^ A grandson of Finn by his son Daire 



dearg. His mother's name was Luigh- 
each, whence he was called the son of 
Luigheach, pronounced Luy. He was a 
famous man among the Feine, according 
to Irish authorities. 

3 There were several among the Feine 
of this name. The name is widely known 
in the topography of Scotland. There 
are two Rivers Garry, two lochs, and 
two large rivers. These are found in 
Inverness-shire and Perthshire. 



16 THE BOOK OF 

Hugh Garry's son, who never quailed, 

The three Finns, and with them Fead, 

Glass and Gow and Gany, 

The long-haired Galve, and the impetuous Conan 

Gaul and Crooin, Gaul's son, 

Socach, the son of Finn, and Bran ; ^ 

Caoilte, the son of ^^'arlike Ronan," 

Who swiftest ran, and leaped o'er valleys, 

The readiest to scatter gold, 

One of them of sweetest voice ; 

Bayne, son of Brassil of the swords, 

The son of Cromchin, son of Small, 

And Oscar, son of powerful Garry ,"^ 

The three Balas, and the three Skails, 

Three battalions from Glenstroil, 

Three bands from Monaree ; 

Caoilte's seven sons best trained to ho'lit ; 

The three named Glass from Glassrananseir ; 

The three Beths from Cnokandurd, 

Three of mifailing excellence ; 

Deach Fichid's son from Borruinn mor. 

Of them who ahvays conquered. 

Here have I seen the Feine 

Whose liberal hand did music buy,^ 

' Conan is usually called " Conan giapliy, goes far to show the close con- 

maol," or '^ Conan the bald," and was nexion of the Feine themselves with that 

known among the Feine for his thovight- country. 

less impetuosity. He was, in conse- ^ Caoilte was one of the most famous 

qiience of this peculiar temperament, of the Feine. He was distinguished for 

ever getting into difficulties, and expos- his swiftness, and not without reason, 

ing himself to the ridicule and reprehen- as is shoAvn in his chase of Loinn mac 

sion of his companions. There are both Liobhaidh, the Fenian blacksmith, whom 

a river and valley in Scotland called after he overtook, although he could cross a 

him, the River Conan and Strathconan valley at a stride, 

in Eosshire. ■* This Oscar must be distinguished 

^ " Bran," the name of I'inn's cele- from the famous Oscar, the Poet*s son. 

brated hound, is here obviously the name Of the latter he never speaks without 

of a man. There is a "strath" or val- applying to him some term of endear- 

ley in Rosshire which still retains his ment, as "my son," "my own son," 

name, Strathbran. The extent to which etc. 

Fenian names are found in Scottish topo- ^ This line refers to the liberal rewards 



THE DEAN OF LISMOKE. 17 

Eanged around Ossian and Finn, 
Traversing valleys to dispense their gold. 
Fearton and brave Carroll were there, 
Who never fought but where they won. 
I sing them, and generous Felan, 
All of whom here have I seen. 

Here have I seen. 



The author of this is Ossian, the son of Finn. ' 

Tell us, Patrick, what honour is ours. 

Do the Feine of Ireland in heaven now dwell ? 

In truth I can tell thee, thou Ossian of fame. 
That no heaven has thy father, Oscar, or Gaul. 

Sad is the tale thou tellest me. Priest, 

I worshipping God while the Feine have no heaven. 

Shalt thou not fare well thyself in that city. 

Though ne'er should thy father, Caoilte, and Oscar be there V 

Little joy would it bring to me to sit in that city, 
Without Caoilte, and Oscar, as well as rny father. 

Better see the face of heaven's son each day. 
Than all the gold on earth, were it thine to possess. 

wMcli tlie Bards nstially received among breck, "they are still -with us ; but the 

the Celts. A eulogy was sometimes re- men who fostered them are gone." 

warded by the Cliief with a silver eup. ^ This piece is what is usually called 

Even poetry had need to be purchased ; "UrnuidhOisiain,"or"Ossian'sprayer." 

and probably were it not for the hope of There are many such colloquies in the 

reward of some kind, many of the noblest Gaelic, many of them bearing no marks 

Poems which have adorned human his- of great antiquity. It will be found that 

tory would never have seen the light. in the Gaelic the poem is divided. This 

At a meeting of Skye gentlemen on some arose from a misplacing of different parts 

public occasion some years ago, the ques- of it in the MS. , which was not observed 

tion was put, "Where are the bards?" till the first part was printed off. In 

One of the company replied, "They are the English the whole is given conse- 

gone." " No," said Nicolsoir of Scorry- cutively. 



18 THE BOOK OF 

Tell US, thou Priest of the Holy city, the tale ; 
In return I'll recount thee the battle of Gaura. 

If the tale of that city thou clesir'st, old man, 
No thirst, no hunger, want, reproach are there. 

AVho are heaven's sons ? more noble are the Feinn : 
Are they hard of heart ? have thou mercy, Cleric ; 

Unlike them are the Feine, unlike them altogether, 
N"ever on the green plain did they seek the chase. 

For thy love's sake, Patrick, forsake not the heroes. 
Unknown to heaven's King, bring thou in the Feinn. 

Though little room you'd take, not one of your race. 
Unknown to heaven's King, shall get beneath his roof. 

How different Mac Cumhail, the Feinn's noble king, 
All men, uninvited, might enter his great house. 

Sad is that, old man, and thy life's close so near. 
That thou should'st so unjustly judge of my great king. 

Better the fierce conflict of Finn and his Feinn, 
Than thy holy master, and thyself together. 

Mournful, poor old man, that thou should'st folly speak. 
Better God for a day than all of Erin's Feinn. 

Though few be my days, and my life's close near, 
Patrick defame not the nobles of clan Boisgne. 

Thou can'st never tell, Ossian, son to the Queen, 
How different your nobles from those of my Lord. 

Were even Conan living, the least of the Feinn, 
He would not suffer thy insolence, Cleric. 

Speak not thus, Ossian, savage are thy words. 
Take thee now thy rest, and guide thee by my rule. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 19 

Did'st tliou see the fight, and the noble banners, 

Never wonld'st thou think but of the glory of the Feinn. 

Ossian, Prince's son, 'twill be thy soul's great loss 
That thou now think'st only of the battles of the Feinn. 

Did'st thou hear the hounds, and the sounds of the hunt, 
Thou would' st rather be there than in the holy city. 

That is sad, old man, if the glory of the chase 

Be greater than all which Heaven above can yield. 

Say not so, Patrick, empty are thy words. 
Indeed and in truth, better Finn and the Feinn. 

By thy hand, Boisgne's son, not empty are my words. 
Better is one angel than Finn and the Feinn. 

Were I only now as I was at Gaura's fight, 

I would punish thy reproach of Erin's noble Feinn. 

Thy pride is all gone, for all thy future days, 
None are now left of thy band but thyself. 

Were my men in life I'd not hear thy howling, 
And I'd make thee to suffer in return for thy talk. 

Though all of these yet lived, and were now joined together, 
I'd still not speak only of the Feinn's seven bands. 

Seven times the number that thou hast of priests. 
Fell all in battle by Oscar alone. 

Thou'rt now in thy last days, old and senseless man. 
Cease now thy speaking, and come away with me ; 
Did'st thou see the men of cowls, Finn's son, in Alve, 
Thou would' st not as thou dost reproach the men of heaven. 

No less was our great band, when we were met in Taura, 
Eeproachful are the words thou speak'st of the great king, 
I will forgive thee, Cleric, although thou dost not tell 

Tell. 



20 THE BOOK OF 



The author of this is Ossian/ 

I know a httle tale of Fiim, 

A tale that we should not despise, 

Of Cumhal's son, the valorous, 

Wliich our memory still preserves. 

Once we were a httle band, 

At Essaroy,^ of gentle streams, 

JSTear the coast was under sail, 

A currach, in which sat a maid ; 

Fifty men stood by the King, 

Brave in any fight or field. 

Sad for them who faced their right arm, 

For we ruled in every land. 

All of us rose up in haste, 

Save Finn of the Feine and Gaul, 

To welcome the boat as it sped. 

Cleaving the waves in its course. 

It never ceased its onward way 

Until it reached the wonted port. 

Then when it had touched the land, 

The maid did from her seat arise. 

Fairer than a sunbeam's sheen, 

Of finest mould and gentlest mien. 

1 This composition is known nsnally of Eoy," Was tins the scene of the story 
by the name of " Fainesolnis," or the of Fainesoluis ? Itmay be objected that 
sunbeam, derived manifestly from the from there the sea lies at a distance of 
comparison of the snnbeam in the twenty- fifteen miles. On the Earn, near Bally- 
first line. In Ireland it is called "Laoidh shannon, in the county of Donegal, is 
an Mhoighre Bhoirb," or "The song of "Assaroe," or " Eas Aoidh Kuaidh," 
MayreBorb." The "Mayre" of Ireland "The waterfall of Hugh the red," who 
will be found to be "Daire" in Scotland. was drowned there. This is nearer the 

2 The topography of these poems is a sea ; but at the period ascribed to Os- 
subject of very deep interest to the stu- sian, the name could not have been given 
dent of our national antiquities. In the to the spot, as the death of Aedh ruadh 
valley of the Roy in Lochaber, so famous mac Badhairn, from whom the cascade 
for its parallel roads, is a waterfall called ^vas named, occurred, according to the 
" Eas ruaidh," or " Essaroy," the "fall Four Masters, in a.m. 4518. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



21 



Then before this stranger maid, 

We stood and showed courtesy ; 

" Come to the tent of Finn with us." 

With grace she all of us salutes ; 

'Twas Cumhal's son himself replied, 

And salutes her in return. 

Then did the King of noblest mien 

Ask of the maid of fairest face, 

'' Whence is it thou hast come, fair maid ? 

Give us now in brief thy tale." 

" The King of the land beneath the waves,^ 

My father is, such is my fate, 

Through all lands where the sun revolves. 

Thee and thy men I long have sought." 

" Princess, who hast searched each land, 

Youthful maid of beauteous form, 

The reason why thou .cam'st so far. 

Tell us now, and tell us all." 

" If thou be Finn, I ask defence," ^ 

So now did speak the youthful maid, 



1 Kings among the Celts were, at.'an 
early period, persons of mnch less con- 
sequence than the name would now seem 
to imply. In Ireland, there were four 
provincial sovereignties hesides the na- 
tional one. But even this does not give 
an accurate representation of the Celtic 
polity. The fact is, every ruler of a dis- 
trict and leader of an army was called 
a King. Of this we have ample evi- 
dence in Caesar's account of the state 
of Britain at the period of the Roman 
invasion. In Scotland, tradition points 
to several kingdoms. In the Western 
Highlands the Island of Mull is said to 
have formed a kingdom by itself, called 
"Rioghachd na Drealluin," " the King- 
dom of Drealinn," from " dreall," a 
"bar" or " sneck," applied to the Sound 
of Mull, which shuts out all strangers 
from the Island. Islay was called 
"Rioghachd Modheadh," or the " South- 
west Kingdom," from its position. Mor- 



vern was called ' ' lorruaidh, " to which fre- 
quent reference is made both in Scottish 
and Irish Celtic tradition. Ardnamur- 
chan was called " Sorcha," the kingdom 
of Daire Borb's father, from its moun- 
tainous character, "Sorcha" meaning 
" high," whence " sorchan," " a tripod." 
" Tir bar fo thuinu," or the land be- 
neath the waves, was Tyree, from the 
lowness of the land appearing from a 
distance as if its surface were on a level 
with the sea. If there be any historical 
accuracy in these traditions, which have 
been gathered up from an intelligent old 
Highlander, skilled in the lore of his 
country, this story of Fainesoluis is one 
in which a daughter of the ruler of the 
Island of Tyree is pursued by a son of 
the ruler of Ardnamurchan. Poetry gives 
a consequence and m^agnitude to the 
event, which in all probability the naked 
reality did not possess. 

2 "Mo chomraich ort," " my protec- 



22 THE BOOK OF 

" Thou of soft speech, and purest race, 

Grant me protection, grant it now." 

Then spoke the wise and knowing Eling, 

" Tell ns now from whom thon flee'st ; 

Protection I thee grant, fair maid, 

'Gainst every man that dares thee hurt." 

" There comes in wrath across the sea, 

Swift in pursuit, a warrior brave. 

The well-armed son of Sorcha's King, 

He whose name is Daire the fierce.^ 

I laid me under heavy bonds ^ 

That Finn should from the sea me have, 

But that his wife I ne'er should be, 

Though famed his beauty and his deeds." 

Then Oscar spoke, of hasty speech, 

The warlike conqueror of Kings, 

" Though Finn should not thy pledge sustain, 

Never shalt thou with him wed." 

Then do we see borne by his steed ^ 

A hero of unequalled size. 

Travelling mth speed across the sea. 

Following the maiden inlier course ; 

His helmet close about the head 

Of this brave and dauntless man ; 

His right arm bore a round black shield, 

tection be on thee," was an appeal which ^ " Geasan," "bonds." The word here 

the Celtic warrior could never reject when appears to mean a simple pledge, al- 

made by the weak and helpless. In though in most cases it implies the exer- 

Christian times, the word " Comraich" cise of some magieal power. In those 

•'came to be applied to the " girths " or cases of metamorphosis so common in 

"sanctuaries" around places of worship Celtic tales, the persons who have been 

and other sacred spots, where accused made to undergo the change are said to 

persons might flee for security. Hence be '-fogheasaibh," " under spells." The 

the G-aelic name of the parish of Apple- mythology of the Celts has much in 

cross in Eosshire, "A Chomraich," or common -n-ith that of Eastern nations. 
" the Sanctuary," formed round the 

church dedicated to St. Malrube, an ^ The magical steed of Daire borb was 

early Christian missionaiy. capable of carrjiing its master over sea 

^ As already observed, this name is in and land. In many ancient Celtic Tales 

Irish editions of the poem "Mayre." See we read of ships which could also tra- 

Miss Brooks' " Reliqv.es of Irish Poetry." verse sea and land. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



23 



The surface of its back engraved ; 
A heavy, large, broad-bladed sword, 
Tightly bound, hung by his side ; 
He comes in attitudes of fence, 
As where we stood he swift approached ; 
Two javelins, with victory rich, 
Eest on the shoulder of his shield ; 
For strength, for skill, for bravery, 
Nowhere could his match be found. 
A hero's look, — the eye of a king 
Shone in that head of noblest mould, 
Euddy his face, his teeth pearl-white, 
No stream ran swifter than his steed. 
Then did his steed bound on the shore, 
And he in whom we saw no fear. 
Of us did fifty warriors then 
Approach him as lie came to us ; 
Fear of the hero as he neared us 
Filled the bravest of them all. 
Now as he landed from the waves. 
Our famous King the question put, 
" Canst thou tell me now, fair maid. 
Is that the man of whom thou spak'st ?" 
" I know him well, Finn Cumhal's son, 
Nor does his coming bode you good ; 
Me he will rudely strive to seize. 
Despite thy strength, noble Finn." 
Then Oscar and Gaul arose, 
The fiercest of all in the fight. 
Near to the men they firmly stood, 
Between the giant and our chief 
The well-formed warrior then approached. 
In rage sustained by his great strength. 
The maid he rudely bears away. 
Though by Finn's shoulder she had stood. 
The Son of Morne then hurled his spear. 
With wonted force, as he bore off ; 



24 THE BOOK OF 

No gentle cast was that, iii truth, 
The hero's shield was split in twaui. 
The wrathful Oscar then did shake 
The red-dyed belt from Ms left arm/ 
And killed the hero's prancing steed, 
A deed most worthy of great fame. 
Then, when the steed fell on the plain. 
He on us turned in fiercest wrath. 
And battle does, the onset mad. 
With all our fifty warriors brave. 
On the same side with me and Finn, 
The fifty stood in front of him : 
Yet though they oft stood firm in fight. 
His arm did now them force to yield. 
Two blows, and only two he gave, 
With vigour to each sep'rate man. 
When we were stretched upon the earth. 
Each man of us with whom he fought. 
Three vanquished nines he tightly bound, 
Ere from the furious fight he ceased. 
Firmly the three smalls'^ usual tie 
On each of these he firmly placed. 
Then did the manly Gaul advance, 
The conquering hero to assail. 
Whoe'er he was could see them then, 
The struggle and the fight were fierce. 
Then did Mac Morne slay with his arm 
The King of Sorcha's son, most strange ! 
Sad was the coming of the maid, 
Now that the brave in fight had fallen. 



1 The word in the original here is seach," the bard wonld seem to indicate 
"crisszerk," the "red belt." This is, that Oscar was left-handed, like the sons 
however, in all probability, a mistake of of Benjamin, 
the Dean's for " craoiseach," a "jave- 
lin." It is not easy to see what conld ^ "]Sratricaoil,"orthe"thi-ee smalls," 
be meant by the " red belt " on Oscar's Avere the neck, the anliles, and the wi'ists. 
left arm. It conld hardly signify the Prisoners of war had this triple binding 
straps of the shield. If it be "craoi- applied to them. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 25 

And now that he had fallen thus, 

Beside the sea, a sad event, 

She of the land beneath the waves, 

With Finn and his Feine remained a year. 

Flann, son of Morne, in battle brave, 

Was kiUed, it is a piteous tale ; 

None of all our men escaped, 

Whose body was not full of wounds, 

Except my^ noble Father, Finn, 

The generous friend of all distressed. 

And now at last the deed is done. 

Of Finn this little tale I know. 

I know a little tale of Finn. 

As our fifty warriors brave -^ 

Were now subject to his arms. 

Helpless were we in his hands, 

Our precious rights were all now lost. 

His sword without a single check. 

Did hack our bodies and our shields. 

Any lighting like to his, 

In my day never have I seen. 

We buried then close to the fall 

This noble, brave, and powerful man. 

And on each finger's ruddy point 

A ring was placed in honour of the King. 

For ten long years his conquering arms, 

To the victor did the King forbid ; 

For all that time the son of Morne 

Was healing with Finn of the Feine. 

' These supplementary lines wonlcl between the hnndred and twenty- eighth 

appear to be either additional lines or and the hundred and twenty-ninth lines, 

various readings. There are two given the last eight to close the poem. Dr. 

in the Gaelic, which are not translated, Smith, in the Report on Ossian's Poems 

as being of little consequence, and which given in to the Highland Society, states, 

seem intended to come in between the that the Edition given in this supplement 

ninety-eighth and ninety-ninth lines. The is inconsistent with that in the body of 

first eight lines of this additional frag- the Poem, and must be held to contain 

nient are probably intended to fall in various readings. 



4 
1 



26 THE BOOK OF 



The author of this is Ossian, the son of Finn/ 

'Twas yesterday week 
I last saw Finn ; 
Ne'er did I see 
A braver man ; 
Teige's^ daughter's son, 
A powerful king ; 
My fortune, my light, 
My mind's whole miglit, 
Both poet and chief 
Braver than kings. 
Firm chief of the Feinn. 
Lord of all lands, 
Leviathan at sea, 
As great on land, 
Hawk of the air. 
Foremost always. 
Generous, just, 
Despised a lie. 
Of vigorous deeds, 
First in song. 
A righteous judge, 
Firm his rale. 
Polished his mien. 
Who knew but victory. 

'^ The following seems to have been the pieces in this collection. It is quite 

Ossian's enlogy on his father Finn. The impossible to produce in English the ef- 

editor has not met with any similar com- feet of the rhythm and alliteration of the 

position either among Scottish or Irish Gaelic ; but the editor has endeavoured, 

collections, except a few lines extracted while giving an exact rendering, to retain, 

by Miss Brooks from a composition Avhich in as far as possible, the peculiar measure 

she calls " Buille Oisein," and it is there- of the original. The piece is a fine tribute 

■fore rescued from oblivion by having of filial love and admiration, nor is there 

been seized by the Dean while floating much room to doubt its genuineness, 

on the stream of oral tradition, and ^ Muirne Finn's mother is said to have 

treasured in his miscellany. In the ori- been a daughter of Teige, a famous 

ginal, the poetry is worthy of the name Druid, or, as others say, of a princely 

of Ossian, more so, indeed, than any of family of Bregia, in Meath. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 27 

Who is like him 

In fight or song ? 

Eesists the foe, 

In house or field. 

Marble his skin, 

The rose his cheek, 

Bine was his eye, 

His hair like gold. 

All men's trust. 

Of noble mind. 

Of ready deeds, 

To women mild, 

A giant he. 

The field's delight. 

Best polished spears, 

No wood like their shafts. 

Eich was the King. 

His great green bottle. 

Full of sharp wine. 

Of substance rich. 

Excellent he.^ 

Of noble form, 

His people's head, 

His step so firm. 

Who often warred. 

In beauteous Banva, 

Three hundred battles 

He bravely fought. 

With miser's mind 

From none withheld. 

Anything false 

His lips ne'er spoke. 

He never grudged, 

1 Some of the lines in this part of the the forty-fifth, where he has introduced 

original MS. are very much defaced from a phrase sufficiently general to prevent 

age and bad usage. The editor has been the charge of in any measure tampering 

obliged in consequence to guess one line with his author. The other words will 

and a few additional words. The line is be seen by referring to the Gaelic, 



26 ■ THE BOOK OF 

No, never Finn ; 

The sun ne'er saw King 

\ATio him excelled. 

The monsters in lakes, 

The serpent by land, 

In Erin of saints/ 

The hero slew. 

Ne'er could I tell, 

Though always I lived, 

Ne'er could I tell 

The third of his praise. 

But sad am I now, 

After Finn of the Feinn ! 

Away with the chief, 

My joy is all fled. 

No friends 'mong the great. 

No courtesy. 

No gold, no queen. 

No princes and chiefs. 

Sad am I now. 

Our head ta'en away ! 

Fm a shaking tree, 

My leaves all gone. 

An empty nut, 

A reinless horse. 

Sad, sad am I, 

A feeble kern. 

Ossian I, the son of Finn, 

Strengthless in deed. 

* The word " naoinili," here trans- Cliristian period. It is a curious fact, 

lated " saints," is not necessarily asso- that the feat of destroying all the ver- 

ciated with Christianity. The Avord niin in Ireland was, in a later age, at- 

" naomh," holy, is one belonging origin- tributed to St. Patrick. It would ap- 

ally to the Gaelic language, and not in- pear that this was but a transference 

troduced, like many ecclesiastical terms, of a portion of the glory of Firm to the 

from the Latin and Greek. The phrase Christian Saint, — a remarkable instance 

may be rendered " sacred Erin," a among many of early Christianity bor- 

character belonging to the island,- in roT\ang, not very wisely, the laurels of 

popular belief, even previous to the heathenism. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 29 

When Finn did live 
All things were mine. 
Seven sides had the house 
Of Cumhal's son. 
Seven score shields 
On every side. 
Fifty robes of wool 
Around the King. 
Fifty warriors 
Filled the robes. 
Ten bright cups 
For drink in his hall. 
Ten blue flagons, 
Ten horns of gold. 
A noble house 
Was that of Finn. 
No grudge nor lust. 
Babbling nor sham ; 
No man despised 
Among the Feinn. 
The first himself, 
All. else like him. 
Finn was our chief, 
Easy his praise. 
Noblest of Kings. 
Finn ne'er refused 
To any man, 
Howe'er unknown ; 
Ne'er from his house 
Sent those who came."^ 

' Hospitality was one of the Mghest the selfishness peculiar to itself. Even 

qnalifications of a Celtic chief. Ossian now, in most part of the Highlands, the 

never fails to sing the generous, open- door of a hut is never closed by day, — 

handed hospitality of his father Finn. a practice said to originate in the uni- 

Till a late period the same feature of char- versal sense of the ready reception due 

acter distinguished the Scottish High- to the wayfarer and the stranger. Is the 

lander, although modern civilisation is seven sides of Fingal's house an orien- 

fast uprooting it, and overlaying the talism? 
character of the simple Highlander with 



30 



THE BOOK OF 



Good man was Finn, 
Good man was he. 
ISTo gifts e'er given 
Like Ms so free. 

'Twas yesterday week. 



The author of this is Allan M'Eorie.^ 

Glenshee,^ the vale that close heside me hes, 
Where sweetest sounds are heard of deer and elk, 
And where the Feinn did oft pursue the chase, 
Following their hounds along the lengthening vale. 
Below the great Ben Gulbin's^ grassy height 



1 This Poet is obviotisly a Scotchman ; 
but judging from another of his compo- 
sitions in this volume, he was, like the 
Scottishbards of his time, well acquainted 
with the bardic literature of Ireland. 
This arose from the frequent intercourse 
between the two countries during their 
early history, and the number of Scotch- 
men educated both in the Medical and 
Bardic Schools of Ireland. This is one 
of the circumstances which renders it so 
difficult now, in the absence of authen- 
tic historical documents, to extricate 
much of the social history of the two 
countries. Hence the rival Scottish and 
Irish claims to many of our Celtic lite- 
rary remains. There is no doubt that 
the poets of both countries interwove 
with their compositions the traditions of 
the race, without much regard to whether 
these were Scotch or Irish. The Irish 
trace this common literature to the fact 
of the Irish colonization of Scotland, 
which they maintain was the origin of 
the Celtic population of the latter coun- 
try ; but it is by no means necessary to 
go so far back in order to find sufiicient 
cause for the fact. Christianity seems 
to have formed the first solid basis of 
union between the two countries, and a 



common Christianity was %^ithout doubt 
the means of long maintaining it. This 
composition is usually called '' Bas 
Dhiarmaid," The death of Diannad. 

2 A valley in the eastern part of Perth- 
shire, where the grave of Diannad is 
pointed out to this day. M'Eorie ap- 
pears to have been an inhabitant of the 
neighbourhood, for he speaks of Glen- 
shee as being close beside him. The 
name of G-lenshee is derived from the 
word " Gleann," a valley, and " sith," a 
hill of a peculiar form. This word is 
found in the names of several Scottish 
hills, as "Sith challain," Schihallion ; 
"Beinn shith," Be7i Hi; "An t-Sith 
mhor," the great pointed hill. " Sithan," 
a hillock. The Avord has been often mis- 
taken for " Sith," peace, whence the 
name " Sitheach, sithichean," a fairy, 
fairies, has been absurdly rendered the 
peace folk, instead of the folk of the hills, 
referring to their reputed residence in 
earthen moimds. 

^ "Ben Gulbin," the mountain of the 
leak, lies at the head of Glenshee. There 
is a hill with a similar name in Ireland, 
Avhence Conall Gulbain, one of the kings 
of Ulster, took his designation. There 
is a " water of Gulbin," and a " Torgul- 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



31 



Of fairest knolls that lie beneath the sun, 

The valley winds. Its streams did oft run red, 

After a hunt by Finn and by the Eeinn. 

Listen now while I detail the loss 

Of one, a hero in this gentle band : 

'Tis of Ben Gulbin, and of generous Finn, 

And Mac O'Duine,^ in truth a piteous tale, 

A mournful hunt indeed it was for Finn, 

When Mac O'Duine, he of the ruddiest hue, 

Up to Ben Gulbin went, resolved to hunt 

The boar,^ whom arms had never yet subdued. 

Though Mac O'Duine, of brightest burnished arms. 

Did bravely slay the fierce and furious boar. 

Yet Finn's deceit did him induce to yield ; 



bin," in the braes of Lochaber ; but the 
reference to Glenshee fixes the scene of 
the death of Diarmad in Perthshire. There 
is, as is common in Highland topography, 
a stream called Gulbin, whence a valley 
of the same name, and then a monntain. 
The names in similar cases seem to have 
been primarily attached to the streams, 
whence they ascended through the val- 
leys to the hills. We have an instance 
of this in the Elver Nevis, Glen Nevis, 
Ben Nevis, the ^^neamhais," referring to 
its impetuosity, having been in all like- 
lihood originally applied to the stream. 

'^ Mac O'Duine is the patronymic of 
Diarmad. Hence the Campbell clan, be- 
sides being called "Clann Diarmaid," 
The race of Diarmad, are called also 
" Clann O'Duine," or The children of 
O'Duine. 

^ The chase of the boar was a favourite 
employment among the ancient Celts. 
It is celebrated in many of their tales. 
Besides this, the sow enters largely into 
their ancient mythology. Even in this 
case the boar was possessed of magical 
properties, as will be seen in the subse- 
quent portion of this poem. It is not 
unlikely that at an early period the Celts 
worshipped the sow like the Egyptians, 



whose worship of it might have been one 
reason why it was pronounced unclean. 
Whether the Celts Avorshipped it or not, 
it is manifest that it was held in high 
esteem, for its figure is engraved on most 
of the ancient sculptured stones of Scot- 
land. Among the Welsh it is a national 
emblem, and hence one argument for the 
ancient Picts being British, as these 
stones are found confined to the ancient 
Pictish territory. The word " muc, " a sovj, 
enters largely into Scottish topography. 
We have " Eilean nam muc," the Isle of 
muck, or Sow island. The ancient name 
of St. Andrews was " Muc ros," the Sow's 
headland, and "we know that the sow is 
associated with the memory of St Eegu- 
lus. There is a " Bridge of Turk," or the 
Boar's lrid.ge, near the Trosacha. There 
is a " Slochd muice," or the Sovj's hollow, 
near Inverness, on the Highland road, a 
name derived from a hillock shaped like 
a sow's back, in the bottom of the chasm 
a little to the west of where the coach 
road crosses ; and there is " Sron muice," 
The Sow's snout, on the north side of 
Loch Ness, derived from the resemblance 
of a hill-face to that part of the animal. 
These two latter names are manifestly 
derived from natural resemblances, and 
have nothing to do with mythology. 



32 THE BOOK OF 

And this it was that did his grievous hurt. 

Who among men was so beloved as he ? 

Brave Mac O'Duine, beloved of the schools ;^ 

Women all monrn this sad and piteous tale 

Of him who firmly grasped the murderous spear. 

Then bravely did the hero of the Femn 

Eouse from his cover in the mountain side, 

The great old Boar, him so well kno^vn in Shee, 

The greatest in the wild boar's haunt e'er seen. 

Glad now was Finn, the man of ruddiest hue, 

Beneath Ben Gulbin's soft and grassy side ; 

For swift the boar now coursed along the heath ; 

Great was the ill came of that dreadful hunt. 

'Twas when he heard the Feinn's loud ringing shout, 

And saw approach the glittering of their arms, 

The monster waken'd from his heavy sleep. 

And stately moved before them down the vale. 

First, to distance them he makes attempt. 

The great old boar, his bristles stiff on end. 

These bristles sharper than a pointed spear, 

Their point more piercing than the quiver's shaft. 

Then Mac O'Duine with arms well pointed too. 

Answers the horrid beast with ready hand : 

Away from his side there rushed the heavy spear. 

Hard following on the course the boar pui^sued. 

The javelin's .shaft fell shivered into three, 

The shaft recoiling from the boar's tough hide. 

The spear hurled by his warm red-fingered hand 

Ne'er penetrated the body of the boar. 

Then from its sheath he drew his thin-leaved^ sword. 

Of all the arms most crown'd with victoiy ; 

1 The " schools," referred to frequent- cated in Britain. The " oghnm" charac- 

ly in Ossianic tales, were probably mi- ter, whose antiquity is pretty thoroughly 

litary, although there can be no doubt established, is another evidence of an- 

that there was a learned class among the cient literary cultivation, 

ancient Celts. Ctesar tells us, as already ^ The Gaelic is " tan-lann," the thin 

observed, that the Gauls used the Greek sioord. Was this steel or merely bronze ? 

letters, and that their priests were edu- The thinness would seem to indicate steel. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 33 

Mac O'Duine did there the monster kill, 
While he himself escaped without a wound. 
Then on Finn of the Feinn did sadness fall. 
And on the mountain side he sat him down ; 
It grieved his soul that generous Mac O'Duine 
Should have escaped unwounded by the boar. 
For long he sat, and never spake a word, 
Then thus he spake, although 't be sad to tell, 
" Measure, Diarmad, the boar down from the snout, 
And tell how many feet 's the brute in length." 
What Finn did ask he never yet refused ; 
Alas ! that he should never see his home. 
Along the back he measures now the boar, 
Light-footed Mac O'Duine of active step. 
" Measure it the other way against the hair, 
And measure, Diarmad, carefully the boar." 
It was indeed for thee a mournful deed, 
Youth of the sharply- pointed piercing arms. 
He went, the errand grievous was and sad, 
And measured for them once again the boar. 
Th' envenomed pointed bristle sharply pierced 
The sole of him,^ the bravest in the field. 
Then fell and lay upon the grassy plain 
The noble Mac O'Duine, whose look spoke truth ; 
He fell and lay along beside the boar. 
And there you have my mournful, saddening tale. 
There does he lie now wounded to the death. 
Brave Mac O'Duine, so skilful in the fight ; 
The most enduring ev'n among the Feinn, 
- He lies upon the knoll I see on high. 

The blue-eyed hawk that dwelt at Essaroy,^ 
The conqueror in every sore-fought field, 

1 It is hardly necessary to point out . was slain by a boar. There are remark - 

the resemblance here between the sole able analogies between classical and 

of Diarmad and the heel of Achilles. Celtic tradition. 

Achilles could only be wounded in the ^ Essaroy, vide supra, p. 18, n. This 

heel, Diarmad only in the sole of the is manifestly the Essaroy of Scotland, 

foot. The Adonis of the ancient Greeks which is in the heart of one of the finest 



34 



THE BOOK OF 



Slain by tlie poisoned bristle of the boar. 

Now does he lie full stretched upon the hill, 

Brave, noble Diarmad Mac O'Duine ! 

Slain, it is shame ! victim of jealousy/ 

Whiter his body than the sun's bright light, 

Eedder his lips than blossoms tinged with red ; 

Long yellow locks did rest upon his head, 

His eye was clear beneath the covering brow. 

Its colour mingled was of blue and grey ; 

Waving and graceful were his locks behind,^ 

His speech was elegant and sweetly soft; 

His hands the whitest, lingers tipped with red ; 

Elegance and power were in his form, 

His fair soft skin covering a faultless shape, 

N^o woman saw him but he won her love. 

Mac O'Dume crowned with his countless victories, 

Ne'er shall he raise his eye in courtship more, 

Or warriors' wrath give colour to his cheek ; 

The following of the chase, the prancing steed. 

Will never move him, nor the search for spoil. 

He who could bear him well in every fight. 

Has now us sadly left in that wild vale. 

Glenshee. 



lumting regions in the world. Nor is it 
at any great distance from either of the 
Gnlbins. 

^ Grainne, the wife of Finn, had 
formed an unlawful attachment to Diar- 
mad. The latter had what is called a 
'' Ball seirce," or heauty spot, which no 
woman could resist. Hence Finn's jeal- 
ousy and desire to destroy Diarmad. The 
word rendered here " naire," shame, is 
in the MS. " noor," gold. If this be the 
accurate reading, Grainne's dowery must 
have formed an element in the conflict. 

2 Yellow was the favourite colour of 
the ancient Celt. " Fait buidh," yellow 
hair, is an object of the highest admira- 
tion, and the longer and more waving the 
locks, the greater the admiration. The 



account the Celt gives of himself is 
somewhat different from that given by 
his neighbours, who would paint him a 
wiry, thin, black-haired, black-eyed man, 
Tacitus gave a different description ; 
and any man who travels the Highlands 
of Perthshire, where, perhaps, we have 
the purest Celtic blood in Scotland, will 
have ample evidence of the accuracy of 
the Eoman historian. With reference 
to the admiration of the yellow colour 
among the Celts, it is interesting to trace 
how it intermingles itself with the voca- 
bulary of the language ; thus, a. fine day 
is a yellow day. The name given to 
Beltin day, the opening of summer, is, 
"la buidhe Beallteine," yellow Beltin 
day ; and anything propitious is called 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



35 



The author of this is Allan M'Eory.^ 

To-night my mourning is great, 
Thou tonsured priest whom I love, 
While I reflect on the fight, 
With red-tree^ Cairbar we fought. 
Son to great Cormaig O'Cuinn, 
Woe to the Feinn whom he seized ; 
A king who ne'er shunned the fight. 
And feared not the face of man. 
The Feinn to a man did serve, 
Finn and the good race of Conn, 
Till the day of Cairbar Eoy ; 
I^or evil nor weakness fear'd. 
Brave Cairbar his people addressed. 
Deceitful indeed was the speech. 



(ellow, as, " is bxiidhe dhuit e," it is 
yellow or propitious for you ; and a man 
satisfied after a meal is called "bnidh- 
each," yellow or satisfied. 

1 This is the second composition of 
M'Rory's given in the Dean's MS. The 
present is as purely Irish in its incidents 
as the former was Scotch, the a\ithor 
having been in all likelihood, as already 
shown, a Scotchman, but perfectly fami- 
liar with the events of Irish history, and 
equally so with what is called the Irish 
dialect, although in the day of the Dean 
it was "common to the literature of both 
countries, with a few variations. It will 
be seen, for instance, that in several of 
these pieces the Irish negative ni and 
the Scottish c^a, are used indifferently. 
This composition has been published at 
much greater length than here, under the 
name of Ossian, but from MSS. appar- 
ently of no antiquity. This poem is 
\isually called "Cath Ghabhra," "the 
battle of Gaura," or "BasOsgair," "ih.e 
death of Oscar." 

2 The "red-tree" knights were the 



knights of Emania, or Ulster. Caesar 
mentions the order of equites, or knights, 
as one of the three great leading classes 
into which the Gauls were divided; so 
that the existence of such an order in 
Ireland, at an early period, is in no way 
inconsistent with what history relates of 
ancient Celtic policy. Cairbar was the 
son of Cormac, son of Art, son of Conn 
of the hundred battles, Irish kings of 
the Emanian race. Finn, according to 
0' Flaherty, was married to a daughter of 
Cormac, so that this battle with Cairbar 
was in reality with his brothei'-in-law. 
It seems to have originated in the Feinn, 
who are said to have been a species of 
militia, or rather a standing army in Ire- 
land, becoming disposed to stretch their 
prerogative farther than was agreeable 
to the monarch, and that the object of 
Cairbar in this battle was to put them 
down. It is said that the Feinn were 
supported by the provincial king of 
Munster. This is Irish history, and it 
is remarkable to find these events sung 
by a Scottish Poet. 



36 THE BOOK OF 

In battle would he clioose to fall, 
The reinn and he together, 
Ere even as a King he'd live 
With Erin beneath the Feinn. 
Barrin then spoke boldly out, 

Remember Muckrey -^ and Art ; 
How your great ancestors fell, 
Resisting the Feinn's deceit ; 
Remember their cruel bonds, 
Remember their pride and guile ; 
And that we ne'er knew of war, 
But such as was stirr'd by Mac Cuil. 

Then did the race of Conn resolve, 
In counsel with Cairbar Roy, 
That they'd at once assail us, 
And the whole of us destroy. 
They'd have days of joy and feasting, 
Great AI vin cleared of the Feinn. 
Then would all grief be dead, 
Nor could they a tax demand. 
Fiercely and bravely we fought. 
That fight the fight of Gaura ; 
There did fall our noble Feinn, 
Sole to sole with Ireland's kings. 
From India far in the east. 
To Fodla^ here in the west, 

' Miickrey, or " The island of Swine," new event in tlie history of the Irish 

is an ancient name for Ireland, derived monarchs. 

obviously, not as it might be in modern ^ Another name for Ireland. O'Fla- 

times, from the abundance of the ani- herty says there were iive names for the 

mal in the country, where it is the sum island, and quotes a scholiast of the 

total of the family possessions in many name of Fiach, who lived a thousand 

instances, but from the place which the years before. The names are Ere, Fodla, 

sow held, as referred to already, in the Banba, Fail, and Elga. Might we not 

national mythology. It is obvious from add to these the much-disputed name of 

the reference in this line to a differ- Scotia, which our Irish neighbours claim, 

«.nce with the Feinn, that that Avas no yet don't possess. Surely it is time now 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



37 



The kings did all own our sway, 
Till the battle of Gaura was fought. 
But since that horrid slaughter, 
ISTo tribute nor tax we've raised. 
]N"or to us was tribute due, 
Save by part of Erin's soil. 
Many were there on the earth 
Of the folk who felt no grief 
To both sides how great the loss, 
When we each other did destroy, 
Should strangers fierce come over, 
And seize on beauteous Erin. 

Ossian, what would Finn have done 
Were burdens laid on Erin ? 

By thy hand, most holy Priest, 
There were none in all fair Banva,^ 
Save a few aged heroes, 
And some younger untried men ; 
What king might there plant his foot, 
Could Fodla have for taking. 
No fight, no conflict he'd need, 
No stratagem nor struggle. 

Eastward we sent ambassadors, 
To Fatlia of Con's great son ; 



to perceive that the only true and satis- 
factory solution of the question regard- 
ing it, is that the name was applied to 
both countries, latterly under the dis- 
tinctive appellation of Scotia Major and 
Scotia Minor, as the countries of the 
Scots. Surely Scotland was as much a 
Scotia as Ireland, and Ireland as much 
as Scotland, in so far as they were both 
occupied by Scottish inhabitants. This 
identity of race, language, and at an 
early period religion, is not sufliciently 
allowed for in discussing questions in- 



volving the several claims of Scotland 
and Ireland to much of what was com- 
m.on to both. Scotland has suffered more 
than Ireland from the destruction of her 
early archives ; but is not the life of 
Columba, so recently given to the world 
under the able editorship of Dr. Reeves, 
in reality a Scottish work ? 

1 "Banva" is another name for Ire- 
land. This is the Gaelic name for a 
sucking-pig, so that it also is probably 
mythological. It is in all likelihood the 
same name Math our Scottish Banft'. 



n 



38 THE BOOK OF 

That he might lead us on, 
To seize on Erin's kingdom. 

Great grief had now come on you, 
From Tara's loud- spoken King : 
ISTew reason had ye given 
Why all of you should perish. 

Ossian, tell us now the tale, 

When ye fought »that sturdy fight. 

Did thy son in battle die, 

Or had he speech when you him found ? 

I bent me over valiant Oscar, 

Soon as was the slaughter o'er ; 

Caoilte too did bend liim o'er 

His seven valiant sons ; 

Each living man among the Feinn 

Bent him o'er his own dear friends. 

Some of them had still their speech. 

From others life had parted. 

Priest of the crosier white. 

Whoever saw that slaughter, 

'Tis an everlasting grief, 

Erin's nobles thus to die. 

Many Avere the hard round shields, 

Many precious coats of mail, 

And lifeless warriors on the field. 

Nor would our people grieve for this 

Were they not a vanquished race. 

Little from that field was left us, 

Save a king's or chieftain's spoil. 

There found I my own dear son 

Laid, on his left arm resting. 

His shattered shield beside him, 

Wliile his hand still grasped his sword ; 

His precious blood on every side. 



1 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 39 

Flowed swiftly through his harness. 
My spear I rested on the earth, 
And o'er him stood as he lay ; 
Then thought I, tonsured Priest, 
What, now lonely, I could do. 
Oscar towards me now turns, 
'Twas for me a grievous scene ; 
Forth to me he stretched his hand, 
Wishing I should him approach. 
Then my dear son's hand I seized, 
And cried out with a bitter cry. 
Forward from that time till now, 
In this world I've useless been. 
Thus to me my own son said, 
As life was fast departing, 

Thanks to the powers above, 
That thou'st escaped, dear father. 

Nothing do I tell but truth, 
A word I could not answer. 
Then approached the noble Caoilte, 
Who to visit Oscar came. 
Gently did Mac Konain^ say. 

How find'st thou thyself, dear friend ? 

Just as thou would'st have me be, 
Going to a better world. 

Cairbar Eoy's spear had pierced, 
'Neath the navel, red-armed Oscar ; 
The arm of Caoilte up to its bend. 
Followed in its course the spear. 
Caoilte did deeply search the wound. 
And well saw how all stood there. 
The wound was through to the back, 

^ Another name for Caoilte. 



40 THE BOOK OF 

Torn by the murderous spear. 
Mac Eonain gave a loud shriek, 
And, fainting, fell to the earth. 
Then spake Caoilte, the warrior brave, 
Eecovering from his faint. 

Dear Oscar, no more art thou ours ; 
Thou and the Feinn must part. 
So part must the Feinn with war. 
Conn's race the tribute shall raise. 

We had been thus a brief space, 
Thou priest, the son of Alpin, 
Wlien leaving the slaughter we saw, 
All of Fail's Feinn now li^dng, 
There were but two thousand men, 
The old and the young together. 
And none unwounded returned, 
Even of these hundred score. 
Mne wounds them grievously pierced, 
There were few of them with less. 
Then raised we the noble Oscar, 
Aloft on the shafts of our spears ; 
To a fair green knoll we bore him. 
That we his dress might remove. 
Of his body one hand's breadth 
Was not whole, down from his liaii\ 
Till you reached the sole of his foot, 
Save his face, and that alone. 
The entrails, the liver, the spleen, 
Each draining the body till day. 
The sons of the Feinn did then 
To a fair knoll them betake ; 
His own son did no man mourn, 
l^ov did he mourn his brother : 
As they saw how lay my son, 
All, all did mourn for Oscar. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 41 

Thus was it with us a while, 
Watching the fair-skinned hero, 
When we saw approach at noon 
Finn Mac Cumhail, mac Treinvor. 
From the fierce slaughter escaped, 
A third of the Feinn still lived, 
When they laid the sons of Boisgne 
Upon their biers, the fight being o'er. 
With gashed limbs the men were halt, 
The chiefs a dreadful sight. 
We saw the standard of Finn 
Eaised on the shaft of a spear. 
Which from the slaughter they bore ; 
Grladly to meet it we went. 
All of us saluted Finn, 
But no salute was returned. 
As he climbed the warrior's hill, 
Where deadly-armed Oscar lay. 
When by Oscar Finn was seen, 
As o'er him sadly he bent, 
He turned to him his face, 
His grandfather saluting. 
Then did my Oscar thus speak 
To him who was first of us all : 

In death I have my desire, 
Noble Finn of pointed arms. 

Sad it is, my brave Oscar, 
Thou good son of my own son ; 
After thee I'm but feeble. 
And after Erin's brave Feinn. 
The heavy curse of Art aenir 
Is on us to our great grief. 
From the east it me pursued, 
Following me along the field. 
Farewell to battle and fame. 



42 THE BOOK OF 

Farewell to the victor's spoils, 
Farewell to the many joys. 
Which in this body I've had. 

When Oscar had heard Finn's wail, 
Convulsive pangs did him seize. 
Both of his hands he stretched forth, 
And his soft fair eyelid fell. 
From ns then Finn turned away, 
And shed many bitter tears. 
But for Oscar and for Bran, 
I^ever did he shed a tear. 
There was none but Finn and I, 
Greater than him of the Feinn. 
Then did the men give three shrieks, 
Which rung through fair Erin all. 
Five score hundred, ten hundred and ten, 
There were who belonged to us. 
Of the Feinn dead on the field, 
The number was nothing less. 
No lie it is that double, 
With Erin's king, great tale, 
Perished on the other side, 
Of Erin's well-armed men. 
Finn cheerful or peaceful never 
Was from that down to his death ; 
Since that fight it touched him sore 
That our kings should want their land. 
Ever since Gaura's battle 
My speech has lost all its power. 
]N"o night or day has e'er passed 
Without a sigh for each hour.^ 
To-night. 



1 It may be iuteresting to many read- in the comity of Caitliuess, in tlie year 

ers to have here a specimen of this poem, 1856. It commences thus : 
as taken down from the oral recitation ig trom an nochd mo chumha fein, 

of a Christina Sutherland, an old woman Guilgeantach mo rian, 



i 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



43 



The author of this here is Fergus the Bard.^ 

High-minded Gaul,^ 
Who combats Finn, 
A hero brave, 
Bold in assault, 



Smuaineachadh a chath chruaidh, 
Chuir mise 'us Cairbar claon ruadh, 
Am macsa Chormaic O Chuinn, 
Is mairg sinn a tliaradh fo 'laimh ; 
Laoch gun ghrain cha do chuir, 
Annsa dli' a laimh iuthaidh, etc. 
Translation : — 

My mourning is grievoiis this night, 

Weeping is my condition, 

As I think of the fierce fight, 

Fought with red, squint-eyed Cairbre, 

That son of Cormac O Chuinn ; 

Woe to them fell into his hands, 

Hero who knew no coward fear, 

Whose hand took delight in the arrow, etc. 

The composition is very much the same 
with that of the Dean, but in many por- 
tions contains lines which the latter 
wants, and in others is comparatively 
defective. Although frequently superior 
in force, it is not, upon the whole, so 
smooth and regular as the Dean's edi- 
tion. It will be given at greater length 
in the Appendix to this volume. 

1 Fergus the Bard was one of the sons 
of Finn, and consequently brother to 
Ossian. He was, from all we can learn, 
the chief Poet of the Feinn. Ossian was 
both warrior and poet ; Fergus was 
chiefly poet. Fergus was probably some-, 
what like a modern Gaelic Bard, John 
Macdonell, commonly called Ian Lom, 
who, on being urged to fight at the 
battle between Montrose and Argyle at 
Inverlochy, replied with well-assumed in- 
dignation, " Cha-n e sin mo ghnothuch, 
cathaichibh sibhse 'us innsidh mise," 
that is not my business,— fight you and 
ril relate. In one of the odes pre- 
served in the Dean's MS., Fergus is called 



" Filidh Feinn Eirinn,".^fW'c^ of the Feinn 
of Erin. 

~ This composition is usually called, 
" Rosg Ghuill," or the Ode to Gaul. 
Gaul was chief of one branch of the Feinn, 
the branch denominated "ClannMoirn," 
or the children of Morn, as Finn was 
chief of the other branch, called " Clann 
Baoisgne," or the children of Boisgne. 
The word "Gall" means a foreigner ; 
"muirn " means a body of men, or beauty, 
elegance, in either sense giving a marked 
significance to the name. This poem re- 
presents a difierence between Gaul and 
Finn, the cause of -which will appear as 
the poem proceeds. Fergus, as was cus- 
tomary with the Bards, interposes as 
peacemaker, and represents to his father, 
whom he manifestly holds to be in the 
wrong, the danger of a difference with 
Gaul. The ode is a very remarkable one, 
having a striking resemblance to Ossian's 
eulogy on Finn, as given already in this 
volume. Both bear decided marks of 
genuineness and antiquity. The lan- 
guage is peculiar, many of the words 
being obsolete. Indeed, the phonetic 
orthography of the Dean, the peculiar 
handwriting, and the discoloration and 
bad condition of the MS., with the ob- 
soleteness of many of the words, made 
it a matter of no little labour to decipher 
the composition at all. There is an edi- 
tion of it in Miss Brooks' " Reliques of 
Irish Poetry," from which, however, the 
present differs considerably in many of 
the lines, besides having several addi- 
tional lines, and several deficient in some 
parts. The peculiar rhythm of the origi- 



U THE BOOK OF 

His bounty free, 
Fierce to destroy. 
Beloved of all, 
Gaul, gentle, brave, 
Son of great Morn ; 
Hardy in war. 
His praise of old, 
A comely man. 
King, soldierly, free, 
Of no soft speech, 
No lack of sense, 
Cheerful as great : 
In battle's day 
He moved a prince ; 
Though soft his skin, 
Not soft his deed, 
Of portly mordd, 
A fruitful branch, 
His heart so pure, 
. He trains the young. 
'Bove mountains high 
Eises m victory, 
We ever fear 
When he assails. 
I tell you Finn, 
Avoid the man. 
Terror of Gaul 
Should make you quail ; 
Soothe him rather, 

ual, Avitli the alliterations and vocalic are dwelt on with all the v\^arnith of an 

concords, give it remarkable smoothness ardent admiration ; while as much of 

and force. The rhythm has, as far as literary cultivation is pointed out and 

possible, been retained in the transla- commended, as would show the acquaint- 

tion. But besides the language, the ance of the hero with the traditions of 

sentiment of the piece is strong evidence his race. Gaul is said to have been 

of its antiquity. Those featiires of char- " eagnaidh a stair," learned in history. 

acter are commended Avhich have always This and the ode to Finn have internal 

been in favour in a rude age. Bodily evidence of being compositions belonging 

strength, courage, manliness, and size, to a very remote age. 



THE DEAN OF LTSMORE. 45 

Better than fight. 
SkiKul and just, 
He rules his men, 
His bounty wide, 
A bloody man, 
First in the schools. 
Of gentle blood, 
And noble race, 
Liberal, kind, 
Untired in fight, 
No prince so wise. 
Brown are his locks, 
Marble his skin. 
Perfect his form. 
All full of grace, 
Fierce to exact. 
When au.ght is due. 
In vigour great. 
Of fairest face, 
No king like Gaul. 
I tell thee Finn, 
His strength as waves 
In battle's crash, 
Princely his gait. 
Comely his form, 
Gaul's skill'd fence 
No play when roused. 
Eeady to give, 
Dreadful his strength, 
Manly his mould. 
Soldierly, great, 
Ne'er could I tell 
His grace and power ; 
A fearful foe, 
Eeady his hands, 
Conceal'd his wrath, 
A cheerful face. 



46 THE BOOK OF 

Like murmuring seas, 
Rushed to the fight, 
A lion bold. 
As great in deed. 
Powerful his arm, 
Choice amidst kings. 
Joyful his way, 
His teeth so white. 
'Tis he that wounds, 
The greatest foe. 
His purpose firm, 
A victor sure, 
Desires the fight. 
In history learn'd, 
Warrior bold. 
Sharp is his sword. 
Contemptuous Gaul, 
Plunders at will. 
A fearless man. 
Wrathful he is, 
Dreadful in look. 
Leopard in fight. 
Pierce as a homid, 
Of women loved. 
A circle true 
E'er by him stood. 
He hurls his dart, 
No gentle cast. 
Soft are his cheeks. 
In blossom rich. 
Of beauteous form, 
Unchanged success ; 
No stream so swift 
As his assault, 
Mac Morn more brave, 
Than any told. 
Of powerful speech. 



^ 



THE DEAN OF LTSMORE. 47 

It far resounds, 
He 's truly great, 
Liberal, just, 
Does not despise, 
Yet firm resolves. 
Gentle, yet brisk, 
Forsakes no friend. 
In figlit of kings, 
No powerless arm. 
There, fierce liis mien, 
And strong bis blow. 
When roused his wrath. 
He 's third of the chase. 
Noble Mac Cumhail, 
Soothe and promise. 
Give peace to Gaul, 
Check wrath and guile. 

During my day, 
Whate'er it be, 
I'd give without guile, 
A third of the chase.-^ 

Let's hear no more. 
Soft dost thou speak, 
Finn's love to Gaul, 
And third of the hounds. 



1 It would appear from this latter part Hence tlie contest g^iving Gaul the ap- 

of the poem, that the difference between pellation of " Fear cogaidh Fhinn," or 

Finn and Gaul concerned the right to resister of Finn. Fergus's intervention 

hunt. It would appear that such a cause resulted in Gaul's obtaining from Finn, 

of controversy is no modern affair, but with good will, one-third of the territory 

that game and game-laws had their place called here " fiodh," or imocled territory, 

among human interests and human con- and one-third of the hounds. There is 

tentions from the earliest period of our a curious reference to these hunting 

country's history. Finn seems to have rights in one of the poems in praise of 

claimed the right of chase over the whole the McGregors, given in an after-part of 

territory of the Feinn. Gaul resisted this volume, in which it is said that Finn 

and claimed a share for the race of Morn. himself dare not hunt without leave. 



48 THE BOOK OF 

Gaul, leave tliy wrath, 
With us have peace, 
Now without grudge, 
Thou'st of Finn's forest third. 

That will I take, 
Fergus, dear friend, 
My ^\Tath is gone, 
No more I ask. 

Friend without guile, 
Lips thin and red. 
Bounty and strength. 
Shall win thee praise. 



High-minded Gaul. 



The author of this is Fergus the Bard.^ 

Tell us now, Fergus, 
Bard of Erin's Feinn, 
How did fare the day 
In Gawra's furious fight. 

Not good, son of Cumhail, 
The tidings from Gawra's fight. 
Dear Oscar lives no more, 
He who bravely fought ; 
Caoilte's seven sons are gone. 
With the commons of Alvin's Feinn. 
The youth of the Feinn have fallen, 
All in their warlike robes. 

1 This is canother of the compositions of already. M'Eory's appears to be the 

Fergus, the son of Finn, and brother of more modern of the two, besides being 

Ossian. It will be found to be an ac- inferior in many respects to this. The 

count of the death of Oscar at the battle account of Oscar's death given here, is 

of Gaura. One composition on this sub- in the way of reply to an inquiry of 

ject by Allan M'Rorj- has been given Finn. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



49 



Mac Luy too is dead, 
With six of thy father's sons. 
Fallen are the youth of Alvin, 
Dead are the Feinn of Britain.^ 
Lochlin's king's son is dead, 
Who came to give us aid, 
He of the manly heart. 
And arm at all times strong. 
Tell them now, Bard, 
My son's son, my delight. 
How it was that Oscar 
Hewed the helmets through. 
It would be hard to tell, 
'Twould be a heavy task, 
To number all that fell, 
Slain by the arms of Oscar. 
No swifter is a cataract, 
Or hawk in sweeping stoop. 
Or rapids rushing fast. 
Than in that fight was Oscar. 
You saw him, last of all. 
Like leaves in windy weather. 
Or like a noble aspen. 
When hewers strike its stem. 
When Erin's King he saw, 
Still living 'midst the fight, 
Oscar swift approached him, 
As waves break on the strand. 
When Cairbar this observed. 
He shook his hungry spear, 
And through him drove its point. 
Chiefest of all our griefs ! 
Yet Oscar did not quail. 



1 Here we have in this very ancient 
composition reference to tlie Feinn of 
Britain, Britain including then as now 
England, Scotland, and Wales. If the 



Feinn belonged to Britain as well as Ire- 
land, they could not have been a mere 
Irish militia. 



50 THE BOOK OF 

But made for Erin's King ; 
With force he aimed a blow, 
And smote him with his sword. 
Then Art mac Cairbar fell, 
Struck with the second blow. 
So 'twas that Oscar perished, 
With glory, as a King. 
Fergus the bard am I, 
I've travelled every land, 
I grieve after the Feinn, 
To have my tale to tell. 
Tell. 



This tale is by Gilliecalluin M' an Olave/ 

I have heard a tale of old, 
A tale that should make us weep ; 
'Tis time to relate it sadly, 
Altliough it should fill us with grief 
Eury's^ race of no soft grasp. 
Children of Connor and Connal ; 
Bravely their youth did take the field. 
In Ulster's noble province. 
None- with joy returned home 
Of Banva's proudest heroes. 

1 This is the composition of a Poet Persians received the tale from the Celts, 

of whom we know nothing save what we or the Celts from the Peisiaus, or both 

find in this volume. From a poem of from some other and older source, it is 

his in praise of the McGregors, he would hard to say. The composition is in Gae- 

appear to have been a Scotchman. The lie, usually called, " Bas Chonlaoich," 

name signifies Malcom, the son of the or The death of Conlach. 
chief bard or the physician. It is found 

still in the form of M'Inally. This poem ^ Clann Eughraidh, a powerful race, 

is the Celtic edition of the Persian tale who occupied the province of Ulster at 

of Zohrab and Rustum. The incidents an early period, after having expelled 

are so similar, that the two tales must the Clann Deaghaidh, or the Dalcassians, 

have had a common origin. Whether the afterwards of Munster. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 51 

For as tliey once more tried tlia fight, 
Eury's race did win the day. 
There came to us, fierce his mien, 
The dauntless warrior, Conlach, 
To learn of our beauteous land, 
From Dunscaich^ to Erin. 
Connor spoke thus to his men, 
" Who 's prepared to meet the youth. 
And of him to take account ; 
Who will take no refusal ?" 
Then the strong-armed Connal went, 
Of the youth to take account ; 
The end of their fight was this, 
Conlach had bound Connal. 
Yet the hero did not halt, 
Conlach, brave and vigorous, 
He bound a hundred of our men. 
It is a strange and mournful tale. 
To the hounds' great chief ^ a message 
Was sent by Ulster's wise king, 
To sunny, fair Dundalgin,^ 
The old, wise fort of the Gael, 
That stronghold of which we read. 
And the prudent daughter of Forgan.^ 
From thence came he of great deeds 
To see our generous king ; 
To know of Ulster's great race, 
There came to us the red branch^ Cu, 



1 Dunscaicli, a stronghold in the Isle another in Ireland. From which of these 
of Skye, on the coast of Sleat, of which the name was taken it is difficult to 
the rnins still exist. say. Certainly the Skye mountain is 

2 Cuchullin, or the hound of Cullin, by far the more magnificent natural ob- 
was a famous Celtic warrior, whose fame ject, and Dunscaich is unquestionablj^ in 
is celebrated both in Scotland and Ire- Skye. 

land. The name is a curious one, and ^ Dundalgin is said to be the modern 

is thought by some critics to indicate Dundalk. 

the existence of Anubis worship, or the * ^ Cuchullin's wife is said to have been 

worship of the dog, among the ancient unwillingthat he should engage Conlach. 

Celts. There is a Cullin in Skye, and ^ Cu is a dog or hound. The "red 



k 



52 THE BOOK OF 

His teeth like pearl, cheeks like berries. 

" Long," said Connor to the Cii, 

" Has been thine aid in coming. 

While Connal, who loves bold steeds. 

Is bound and a hundred more." 

" Sad for me to be thus bound, 

Friend, who could'st soon unloose me." 

" I couldn't encounter his sword. 

And that he has bound brave Connal." 

" Eefuse not to attack him. 

Prince of the sharp, blue sword. 

Whose arm ne'er quailed in conflict, 

Think of thy patron now in bonds." 

WTien CuchuUin of the tliin-leaved sword 

Heard the lament of Connal, 

He moved in his arm's great might 

To take of the youth account. 

" Tell us now that I have come, 

Youth who fearest not the fight, 

Tell us now, and tell at once. 

Thy name, and where 's thy country ?" 

" Ere I left home I had to pledge 

That I should never that relate ; 

Were I to tell to living man, 

For thy love's sake I'd teU it thee." 

" Then must thou with me battle do. 

Or tell thy tale as a friend. 

Choose for thyself, dear youth, 

But mind, to fight me is a risk. 

Let us not fight, I pray thee. 

Brave leopard, pride of Erin, 

Boldest in the battle field. 

My name I would tell unbought." 

Then did they commence the fight, 

ISTor was it the fight of women. 

branch" heroes were the knights of Ul- tary orders. Cuchullin is often called 
ster, the most famous of the Irish mili- " Cu nan con," or The hound of hounds. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOKE. 53 

The youth received a deadly wound, 
He of the vigorous arm. 
Yet did Cuchullin of battles, 
The victory on that day lose. 
His only son had fallen, slain. 
That fair, soft branch, so gentle, brave. 
" Tell us now," said skilful Cu, 
" Since thou art at our mercy, 
Thy name and race, tell us in full, 
Think not to refuse thy tale." 
" Conlach I, Cuchullin's son, 
Lawful heir of great Dundalgin, 
It was I thou left'st unborn, 
When in Skiath^ thou wast learning. 
Seven years in the east I spent, 
Gaining knowledge from my mother ; 
The pass by which I have been slain 
Was all I needed still to learn." 
Then does the great Cuchullin see^ 
His dear son's colour change ; 
As of his generous heart he thinks, 
His memory and mind forsake him ; 
His body's excellency departs. 
His grief it was destroyed it ; 
Seeing as he lay on the earth 
The rightful heir of Dundalgin ; 
Where shall we find his like, 
Or how detail our grief ? 
I have. 



1 The Isle of Skye. saking her, had laid her plans for secur- 

^ The touching incident in this story ing this object, and had sent her son 

is the death of the son by the hand of into Ireland under vow never to disclose 

his own father. It is said that Conlach's his name until overcome in battle, 
mother, in revenge for Cuchullin's for- 



54 THE BOOK OF 



The author of this is the Blind O'Cloan.^ 

'Tis the sigh of a friend from Fraoch's green mound, 

'Tis the warrior's sigh from liis lonely bier,^ 

'Tis a sigh might grieve the manly lieart, 

And might make a maid to weep. 

Here to the east the cairn, where lies 

Fraoch Fitlieach's son of softest locks, 

Who nobly strove to favour Mai, 

And from whom Cairn^ Fraoch is named. 

In Cruachan east a woman weeps, 

A mournful tale 'tis she laments ; 

Heavy, lieavy sighs she gives 

For Fraoch mac FitMch of ancient fame. 

She 'tis, in truth, who sorely weeps. 

As Fraoch's green mound she visits oft ; 

Maid of the locks that wave so fair, 

Mai's daughter so beloved of men. 

This night Orla's soft-haired daughter, 

Lies side by side with Fraoch mac Fithich. 

^ The author of this composition is in all likelihood the stone coffin, with 

altogether unknown, nor is it easy to which we are so familiar in ancient Celtic 

decipher even the name accurately. Tn sepulture ? 

the original it is distinctly " in keich o ^ It is not easy identifying the topo- 

cloan." According to the Dean's usiial graphy of this poem. It is generally 

orthography, this shoTild be " An caoch believed in Perthshire that the scene of 

O'Cluain," which means the blind 0' Fraoch's death was in Glen Cuaich, a 

Cloan, or the blind man from the green valley lying between those of the Tay 

mound. Some of the readers of the and the Almond. We have a Loch 

MS. have made it out to be the name Fraoch there, but I have not been able to 

of a woman. We have given the form identify Carn Fraoieh, or Cam Laimh. 

of the name most likely to be accur- Cruachan is spoken of as lying to the 

ate. The composition itself is usually east, which goes rather in favour of the 

called ''Bas Fhraoich," or the death of opinion, that the scene of the poem was 

Fraoch. in Argyleshire, Ben Cruachan being to 

^ "Caiseal chro," usually translated the east of the locality so designated in 

bier, is a curious term. "Caiseal" means that part of the country. I cannot find 

a castle or strongholds, " cro," a fold or any lake in Scotland now called Loch 

pen; so that the word really means the Mai, although Loch Fraoch may have 

stone ]pen, or fortified pen. Is not this been so called. 



THE BEAN OF LTSMORE, .55 

Many were the men who loved her, 

She, of them all, loved Fraoch alone. 

Mai is filled with bitter hate, 

As the love of Fraoch she learns. . . 

His body got its grievous wounds. 

Because with her he'd do no wrong ; 

She doomed him to a bitter death : 

Judge not of women by her deed, 

Grief 'twas that he should fall by Mai, 

Yet I'll relate it without guile. A sigh.-^ 

A rowan tree stood in Loch Mai, 

We see its shore there to the south ; 

Every quarter every month. 

It bore its fair, well-ripened fruit ; 

There stood the tree alone, erect. 

Its fruit than honey sweeter far ; 

That precious fruit so richly red. 

Did suffice for a man's nine meals ; 

A year it added to man's life, — 

The tale I tell is very truth. 

Health to the wounded it could bring, 

Such virtue had its red- skinned fruit. 

One thing alone was to be feared 

By him who sought men's ills to soothe : 

A monster^ fierce lay at its root, 

Wliich they who sought its fruit must fight, 

A heavy, heavy sickness fell 

On Athach's daughter, of liberal horn ; 

Her messenger she sent for Fraoch, 

Who asked her what 'twas ailed her now. 

Mai said her health would ne'er return, 

Unless her fair soft palm was filled 

^ The introdiiction of the " sigh," logy between this tale and that of Her- 

would seem to indicate that a sigh was cules and the gai-den of the Hesperides. 

expected at certain parts of the poem It will strike any one acquainted with 

from the reciter. the classical story. 

2 It is needless to point out the ana- 



56 THE BOOK OF 

With berries from the deep cold lake, 
Gleaned by the hand of none but Fraoch. 
" Ne'er have I yet request refused," 
Said Fitliich's son of ruddy hue ; 
" Whate'er the lot of Fraoch may be, 
The berries I will pull for Mai." 
The fair- formed Fraoch then moved away 
Down to the lake, prepared to swim. 
He found the monster in deep sleep. 
With head up -pointed to the tree. A sigh. 

Fraoch Fithich's son of pointed arms, 

Unheard by the monster, then approached. 

He plucked a bunch of red-skinned fruit. 

And brought it to where Mai did he. 

" Though what thou did'st thou hast done well," 

Said Mai, she of form so fair, 

" My purpose nought, brave man, wilt serve. 

But that from the root thou'dst tear tlie tree." 

No bolder heart there was than Fraoch's, 

Again the slimy lake he swam ; 

Yet great as was his strength, he couldn't 

Escape the death for him ordained. 

Firm by its top he seized the tree, 

And from the root did tear it up : 

With speed agaiu he makes for land. 

But not before the beast awakes. 

Fast he pursues, and, as he swam. 

Seized in his horrid maw his arm. 

Fraoch by the jaw then grasped the brute, 

'Twas sad for him to want his knife : 

The maid of softest waving hair. 

In haste brought him a knife of gold. 

The monster tore his soft white skin, 

And hacked most grievously his arm. 

Then fell they, sole to sole opposed, 

Down on the southern stony strand. 



1 




THE DEAN OF LISMOKE. 57 

Fraocli mac Fitiiich, lie and the beast, 
'Twere well that they had never fought/ 
Fierce was the conflict, yet 'twas long, — 
The monster's head at length he took. 
When the maid what happened saw, 
Upon the strand she fainting fell. 
Then from her trance when she awoke. 
In her soft hand she seized his hand : 
" Although for wild birds thou art food, 
Thy last exploit was nobly done." 
'Tis from that death which he met then. 
The name is given to Loch Mai ; 
That name it will for ever bear. 
Men have called it so till now. A sigh. 

They bear along to Fraoch's green mound 
The hero's body to its grave. 
By his name they call the glen, 
Sad for those he left behind. 
Cairn Laive is the hill beside me, 
Close by it many a happy day 
The hero lived, of matchless strength, 
The bravest heart in battle's day. 
Lovely those lips with welcomes rich, 
Which woman liked so well to kiss ; 
Lovely the chief whom men obeyed, 
Lovely those cheeks like roses red. 
Than raven's hue more dark his hair, 
Redder than hero's blood his cheeks ; 
Softer than froth of streams his skin, 
AVhiter it was than whitest snow ; 
His hair in curling locks fell down. 
His eye more blue than bluest ice ; 
Than rowans red more red his lips, 

I The story is simple and intelligible. cheann, or Fairhead. She accordingly 
Mai loved Fraoch, and became jealous of planned and accomplished Fraoch's de- 
her own daughter, usually called Geal- struction as related. 



58 THE BOOK OF 

Whiter than blossoms were his teeth ; 

Tall was his spear like any mast, 

Sweeter his voice than sounding chord ; 

None conld better swim than Fraoch, 

Who ever breasted running stream. 

Broader than any gate his shield, 

Joyous he swung it o'er his back ; 

His arm and sword of equal length, 

In size he like a ship did look. 

Would it had been in warrior's fight 

That Fraoch, who spared not gold, had died ; 

'Twas sad to perish by a Beast, 

'Tis just as sad he lives not now. 

'Tis the sigh. 



The author of this is Connal Cearnach M'EdirskeolJ 

These heads, Connal, are worthless ; 
Though thou must have blooded thine arms. 
These heads thou bear'st upon that withe, 
Can'st tell their owners, now thy spoil ? 

Daughter of Orgill of the steeds, 
Youthful Evir, so sweet of speech, 
'Twas to avenge CuchuUin's death. 
That I took these numerous heads. 

Whose is that hairy, black, great head. 
With cheeks than any rose more red, 

1 Tliis is the most nncient of all the was either the wife or the betrothed of 

Ossiauic Poets. He was contemporary Cnchvillin, the names of those thus put 

of Cuchullin, who flourished, according to death, and whose heads he carried on 

to Irish historians, in the first century. a withe. The name M'Edarscoil is re- 

Cuchullin was his foster-son, and upon presented now by that of O'Driscol ; 

his being slain, Conall took vengeance "Cearnach" means victorious, so that 

upon his enemies by putting them all to the poet's name is really, The. Victorious 

death. In this poem he tells Evir, who Conall O'Driscoll. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 59 

That whicli liangs nighest tliy left arm, 
The head whose colour has not changed ? 

That head the king of swift steeds own'd, 
Said Cairbar's son of vigorous lance ; 
In vengeance for my foster son, 
I took that head and bore it far. 

What head is that I see beyond. 
Covered with smooth, soft, flowing hair. 
His eye like grass, his teeth like bloom, 
His beauty such as none is like ? 

Manadh, the man that own'd the steeds, 
Aoife's son, who plunder'd every sea ; 
I left his trunk 'reft of its head, 
I slew his people, every man. 

What head is that I see thee grasp, 
Great Connal of the gentle streams ; 
Since that Cuchullin^ now is dead, 
Whom to avenge him did'st thou take ? 

'Tis the head of Mac Fergus of steeds. 
He in extremity so bold. 
My sister's son from the tall tower. 
His head I from his body wrenched. 

What fair-haired head is that to the east. 
Whose hand might well have seized the heads ; 
Well did I know his voice of old, 
For he and I were friends awhile ? 

' Cuchulliu, or The Hound of Cullin, case, lu the English version it is uni- 

is often sj)oken of simply as " An Cu," formly translated Cn, as it would be im- 

or The Hound. In the Gaelic this is possible to follow intelligibly the varia- 

either " Cu" or *' Con," according as the tions of the Gaelic grammar in the cases 

v/ord is in the nominative or genitive of a proper noun. 



60 THE BOOK OF 

Down there it was tlie Cu did fall, 
His body cast in fairest mould ; 
Cu, son of Con, of poets' king, 
Among the last I took his head. 

What two heads are those farthest out. 
Great Connal of the sweetest voice ; 
Of thy great love hide not from me 
The names of them so dark in arms ? 

'Tis Laoghar's head and that of Cuilt, 
The two who fell pierced by my arms ; 
One of them had CuchuUin struck. 
Hence his red blood my weapons dyes. 

What two heads are those to the east, 
Great Connal of the famous deeds ; 
Alike the colour of their hair, 
Than hero's blood more red their cheeks ? 

Cullin the handsome, and Cunlad brave, 
Two who e'er triumphed in their wrath ; 
Evir, their heads are to the east, 
I left their bodies streaming red. 

What are those six hideous heads 

I see in front facing the north ; 

Blue in the face, their hair so black. 

From which thou turn's t thy look, brave Connal ? 

These are six of CuchuUin's foes, 
Calliden's sons, who triumphed oft ; 
These are now the senseless six 
Who all, full armed, fell by my hand. 

Great Connal, father to a king. 
What is that head, noblest of all ; 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 61 

How busily the golden yellow locks, 
Covering it with so much grace ? 

The head of MTinn, M'Eoss the red, 
The son of Cruith, slain by my stroke ; 
Evir, he was king, chief of them all. 
In Leinster of the spotted swords. 

Great Connal, now please change thy tale, 
Tell US the number slain by thine arm. 
Of all the noble famous men, 
In vengeance for the head of Con ? 

Ten and seven score hundred men, 
I tell the truth, the number is. 
That fell by me, aU back o'er back, 
Fruit of my bravery and power. 

Connal, tell how the women feel 

In Innisfail, the Cu being dead ; 

Do they sadly, sorely mourn, 

Now that like me themselves have grief ? 

O Evir, what am I to do, 
Now that my Cu is ta'en away ; 
My foster-son of fairest form, 
Now that he 's left me desolate ? 

O Connal, lay me in my grave, 
And raise my stone o'er that of Cu ; 
In grief I'll soon from this depart, 
Let my lips touch Cu's lips in death. 

Evir am I, of fairest form. 
No vengeance can me satisfy ; 



62 



THE BOOK OF 



In tears no pleasure I can find, 
'Tis sad that I am left behind.^ 

Connal. 



The author of this is Caoilte Mac Eonan.'' 

I set me off to rescue Finn, 

To Taura of the joyful streams ; 

With arms sure of victory, 

To Cormac, son of Art Aonir.^ 

I will not put forth my strength, 

Though bloody and light of foot, 

Until that with the Feinn of Fail, 

We have reached the shore of Loch Foyle. 

Then did we slay the mighty hero, 

When we had slain Cuireach.^ 

We killed a mighty warrior 

When we had killed their leader. 



1 This poem is usually called " Laoidh 
nan ceanu," or The Lay of the Beads. 
It bears many marks of genuineness and 
antiqiiity. It is well known in the High- 
lands, but the Editor has never seen or 
heard any reference to its authorship, 
except in the MS. of the Dean. 

^ This is a remarkable composition, 
descriptive of an attempt of Caoilt to 
deliver his friend and patron Finn from 
the hands of Cormac M^Art, King of Ire- 
land, against whom the Feinn had been 
stirring up rebellion. Caoilt, after va- 
rious strange doings, is told that he can 
only have Finn's liberty on condition of 
bringing to Tara a pair of all the wild 
animals in Ireland. A portion of the 
poem has been translated in Ireland, and 
published in the Dublin University Ma- 
gazine iov March 1854, in connexion with 
an interesting paper upon the food of the 
ancient Irish, and the early zoology of 



their country, by Dr. Wilde. The trans- 
lation is by that eminent Irish scholar, 
Mr. E. O'Curry. In that paper the poem 
is said to be at least a composition of the 
ninth century. It must be of extreme 
antiquity, as a reference to the language 
of it presents an amount of difficulty 
owing to obsolete words and phrases 
rarely met with. The Editor had the 
advantage of subndtting his work to the 
review of Mr. O'Curry. For the topo- 
graphy of the poem, which is altogether 
Irish, the Editor has to refer the reader 
to the notes to the paper in the number 
of the Dublin University Magazine, re- 
ferred to above, which are very full and 
very instructive. 

^ Art, King of Ireland, was called 
" Aonfhir," or The Solitary, from his 
love of solitude. 

■* Cuireach was a famous Leinster 
prince. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 

We bore his head up to the hill, 

Which lies above Buadhamair.^ 

Then indeed I had my triumph, 

For I made a total havoc. 

For the hero's sake I slew 

A man in every town^ in Erin. 

Then indeed I had my triumph, 

For I made a total havoc. 

For the hero's sake I brought 

Grief into every house in Erin. 

Then indeed I had my triumph. 

For I made a total havoc. 

The calves I slew with the cows, 

Whom I found in all fair Erin. 

Then indeed I had my triumph, 

For I made a total havoc. 

The doors on which the red wind^ blew, 

I threw them each one widely open. 

Then indeed I had my triumph. 

For I made a total havoc. 

The fields all ripe throughout the land, 

I set them then a blazing brightly. 

Then indeed I had my triumph, 

For I made a total havoc. 

In my day there won't be seen 

Either mill or kiln in Erin. 

Then it was they loosed against me 

The horse of Albin and of Erin. 

My fleetness gave me victory, 

Until I reached Eos illirglass. 

Then I westward took my way 

To Taura, although great the distance ; 

'Not one horse of all the troop 



1 Buadliamair, the ancient name of ^ The red wind, a magical wind said 
Cahir, in TipiDerary. to blow in Ireland, and to be very de- 

2 In Gaelic, a farm is called " baile," structive. 
a town. 



64 THE BOOK OF 

Had Tanra reached so soon as I did. 

In Taura then I gave that day 

The wife of him who cared not for her. 

I gave the wife of him who cared not, 

To him who cared for his as little ; 

In noble Taura then I gave 

The wife of Cairbar to Cormac. 

The wife of Cormac also gave, 

Just as I had done, to Cairbar. 

The king's sword then I firmly seized, 

A sword of matchless power and virtue ; 

My own sword, fit for little now, 

I left it in the sheath of Cormac. 

Then I passed me quickly over. 

And from the door-keeper got his garment. 

From whence it happened, it is true, 

I became candlestick to Cormac. 

Then did I many strange things do, 

In presence of the King of Erin. 

" Though ye may wonder at my speech, 

Caoilte's two eyes are in my candlestick." 

" Say thou not so," said noble Finn, 

The fair-haired prince of all the Feinn ; 

" Though I may now thy prisoner be, 

Cast not reproach upon my people. 

Such is not Caoilte's noble nature, 

Nought he does but what is generous. 

He would not hold a servile candle 

For any gold that earth may yield." 

Then did I draw forth his drink 

For the excellent, manly king. 

Four steps, one after the other, 

I went along with him to serve him. 

Then I betook myself to his right, 

'Twas one source of my sharp sorrow ; 

I gave him of my own free will 

A dirge so grating, loud, and mournful. 



1 
1 



THE DEAN OF LISMOKE. 65 

" Strange that he should give me this," 

Said the clever, well-formed king. 

" The music smells of Caoilte's own skin, 

This mournful, unharmonious dirge." 

" Do not thou say so, King," 

Said I, in his servant's garb ; 

" These are boastful words thou speak'st. 

'Tis worthy of one loving music." 

" By my hand, most noble Caoilte, 

As Finn has been the Feinn's great chief, 

Though, as I am, no pledge I'll give 

To the men of Alb' or Erin." 

As I plainly saw he knew me, 

I now did boldly ask of Cormac, 

" Thou wilt tell me how I may 

Freedom purchase for my patron." 

'' Thou shalt not have Finn made free, 

I say, on any one condition, 

Save this condition, noble Caoilte, 

One thou never can'st fulfil ; 

That thou should'st obtain for me 

Of all wild animals a pair, 

Then to thee I'd give thy patron. 

So soon as thou such pledge redeem'st." 

I seized upon the pleasing words 

Of Cormac Mac Airt Inir, 

That he would freedom give the king 

So soon as I fulfilled such promise. 

When I had thus by promise bound 

Erin's noble fair-haired king, 

Though I had a trying task, 

I set off to keep th' agreement. 

From Tau.ra I a journey took, 

A journey over all the land. 

I gathered in the flocks of birds. 

Though they were so very scattered. 

Two fierce geilts I brought along, 



THE BOOK OF 

And two fine tall and long-clawed ospreys, 

And ravens from Fee ya von ; 

Two wild ducks from Loch a Sellin, 

Two crows down from Slieve Cullin, 

Two wild oxen brought from Borrin, 

Two swans I brought from Dobhran gorm, 

Two owls from the wood of Faradrum, 

Two polecats from Coiltie creive, 

On the side of Druma Dabhran. 

Two otters also I took with them, 

From the rock of Donavan doivin, 

Two gulls from the strand of Loch Lee, 

Two mails from Port Lairge, 

Four woodpeckers from Brosna ban, 

Two plovers from Carrig dunan, 

Two eacMs from Eachta ard, 

Two thrushes from Letter Lomard, 

Two wrens from Dun Aoife, 

Two geingeachs from Corrie dhu, 

Two herons from Corrin Cleith, 

Two giedes from Magh a Foyle, 

Two eagles from Carrig nan clach, 

Two hawks from Ceindeach forest, 

Two sows from Loch Meilghe, 

Two water-hens fi^om Loch Earn, 

Two moor-fowls from Monadh maith. 

Two sparrow-hawks from Dulocha, 

Two stone-chats from Magh Cullin, 

Two tomtits from Magh Fualainn, 

Two caschans from Glen Gaibhle, 

Two swallows from the Old Abhla, 

Two cormorants from Dublin, 

Two wolves from Crotta cliath. 

Two blackbirds from Traigh dha blian, 

Two roe from Luachair Ir, 

Two pigeons from Ceis Charran, 

Two nightingales from Letter Fin chul, 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 67 

Two plovers from Letter roy, 

Two starlings from Taura the green, 

Two rabbits from Sith dubh donn, 

Two wild boars from Cluaidh chur, 

Two cuckoos from Drum a daive, 

Two grey birds from Laigheande, 

Two lapwings from Lanan Furrich, 

Two woodcocks from Craobli maidh, 

Two hawks besides from Sliabh gie, 

Two grey mice from Limerick, 

Two otters from the Boyne, 

Two larks from Monadh mor, 

Two bats from the cave of Cno, 

Two badgers from the lands of Ullanach, 

Two cornrails from Shannon valley, 

Two water- wagtails from Bruach Bire, 

Two curlews from the sea of Galway, 

Two hares from Muirtheimhne, 

Two eagles from the wood of Luaraidh, 

Two hinds from Sith Buy, 

Two geiseadachs (peacocks) from Magh Mall, 

Two cith cenceachs from Cnamh choille. 

Two yellow-hammers from Bruach Bru, 

Two eels from the Black Water, 

Two goldfinches from Sliabh da eun, 

Two cathails from Bray an Turla, 

Two birds of prey from Magh builg, 

Two coloured swallows from Granard, 

Two fierce ospreys from Gruing, 

Two redbreasts from the Great wood, 

Two Uiorachs from Dun nam bare, 

Two rock cod from Gala cairge. 

Two whales from the great sea, 

Two eels from Loch M'Lennan, 

Two gearrgarts from Magh nan Eilean, 

Two little birds (wrens) from Mias a chuil. 

Two fish (salmon) from Eas M'Moirn, 



THE BOOK OF 

Two fine roe from Glen Smoil, 

Two cows from Achadli Maigh Moir, 

Two swift otters from Loch Con, 

Two wild cats from the cave of Cruachain, 

Two sheep from Sith Doolan gil. 

Two sows of the sows of Mac Lir ; 

A ram and a red nimble sheep 

I brought with me from Ennis. 

I brought with me a horse and mare 

Of the fine stud of Mananan ; 

A bull and cow in calf from Brumcan, 

These I had from Muirn Munchain. 

Ten hoimds of the hounds of the Feinn 

Did Cormaig insolently require. 

Whatever thing he asked of me, 

I brought it with me as I came. 

When I had them all collected, 

And brought them to one plain, 

And sought to have them in control, 

They all of them did scatter widely. 

The raven flew away to the south, 

A cause to me of much vexation ; 

I caught it in Glen da bhan, 

By the side of deep Loch Lurgan. 

The duck did also me forsake, 

Nor was it easier to take it ; 

Over swift and swollen streams, 

I chased it to Achin dughlas. 

Then I seized it by the neck. 

Although it was not very willing. 

I took this duck along with me 

That I might liberate Finn from Cormaig. 

Of all the ills that I have met, 

During all my life on earth, 

Never shall my heart forget 

This, till my body is in the grave : 

With small birds, and with other birds, 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 69 

How I strove along to drive them, 

Travelling over hills and ditches, 

That with them I soon might reach him ; 

While he still held Finn in bonds. 

And thought that I could never find them ; 

And if I could but find him these, 

Then was he bound to give him freedom. 

This race that I had swiftly run, 

Was such as no man ran before me. 

Then I brought them all to Taura, 

To the chief who ruled the palace ; 

Then had I further much to suffer, 

That night was to me very grievous. 

Within the town there was a stronghold. 

To which by nine doors there was entrance. 

Cormaig 'twas gave me the house, 

As I now was very wearied. 

Where I saw that they were placed 

In the narrow, horrid dungeon ; 

Then came a loud and vigorous scream 

From the throats of all the gathering. 

There was a little ray of light 

Eeached them in through fifty openings. 

Every door was closely shut, 

Nor was the case an easy one ; 

They mournfully shut closely up, 

While I as sadly was excluded. 

My heart did now pour out its grief, 

Watching by the doors till morning. 

Though great the evil I had suffered, 

As before they flew so swiftly, 

Not one I suffered to escape 

Till the day rose in the morning. 

The name men gave to this great rabble 

Was " Caoilte's rabble," and no wonder. 

To see them standing side by side, 

Was all the profit got by Cormag. 



70 THE BOOK OF 

For wlien Finn did get his freedom, 

All of them did scatter widely ; 

No two nor three of all did go 

From Taura in the same direction. 

My own swiftness and Finn's escape 

Was a miracle from heaven ; 

The three great things to me which happened 

Were these and gathering that host. 

It is security for my fame, 

I believe in Christ, and in this. 

Though great my gathering for Finn, 

I have nought of which to boast. 

Though long my leap to the east. 

In Taura of the Fenian heroes, 

Long was my leap to the west, 

In Taura, twenty hundred feet, 

Agile then was my leap. 

Which amongst strangers I did take. 

While the point of my foot alone yielded, 

Slow is now any expedition I make. 

I set me off. 



No author's name given.^ 

There lies beneath that mound to the north 

Mac Cumhal's son, in battle firm. 

Of Dearg's daughter the white-tooth'd son. 

In wrath who never hai-shly spoke. 

There lies beneath that mound to the south 

Mac Conn's son, his skin like bloom, 

The man who never met his match, 

1 The Fenian poetry to which the Dean to them. Many of these are manifestly of 

has attached the names of the authors, the same period with the others, and they 

is now all given. We proceed -with those may with equal accuracy be attributed 

whose authors' names are not attached to Ossian or others of the Fenian bards. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 71 

Whose arm in fight dealt no soft blows. 
There lies beneath that mound to the east 
Oscar, so brave, famous in deeds. 
Though the Clan Morn were famous men, 
He counted them of little weight. 
There lies beneath that mound to the west 
The man by women thought so fair, 
M'Eonan for his beauty famed, 
Beneath the mound to the west he lies. 
Beneath the mound that is below me 
Lies he so famed for ugly pate; 
Conan, in every virtue rich, 
Beneath the mound below me lies. 

There lies. 



GORRY, let us go to Finn, 

A service which we do not like. 

To ask of him the head of Gaul, 

That we may lay it down to rest. 

I ani unwilling to go, 

Since I hear not aught of the head. 

And that we cannot have revenge. 

For the head of the great Mac Mom. 

"Whether thou wiliest or not, I will. 

Said the great but foolish Conan ; 

I will slay all the men I can 

In vengeance for the yellow- haired Gaul. 

Let us kill the three princes of the Feinn, 

As we can't slay Finn himself. 

Speak, Gorry, speak quickly out. 

Let us be found at once on their hands. 

Thou shalt kill great Ossian MTinn, 

I will kill the valorous Oscar, 



I 



72 THE BOOK OF 

Dyre shall kill the dauntless Caoilte, 
Let them have us all assault. 
I shall show no foolish softness, 
Gentleness doesn't suit with Finn ; 
Though in our arms we all should fall. 
We will have no help from Gaul ; 
If Finn is there his strength will be there. 
Let us send Finn down to his grave. 
True and guileless are the words 
Which to thee I speak, Gorry. 

Gorry. 



The author of this is .^ 

'Twas on a day Finn went to drink 
In Alve, with his people few ; 
Six women and six men were there. 
The women fair, with whitest skin. 
Finn was there and guileless Diarmad, 
Caoilte and Ossian too, and Oscar, 
Conan the bald, slow in the field, 
With the wives of these six men ; 
Maighinis the wife of dauntless Finn, 
The fair-bosomed maid, my own dear wife, 
Fair skin Gormlay, of blackest eye, 
Naoif, and the daughter of Angus. 
When drunkenness had the women seized, 
They had a talk among themselves : 
They said that throughout all the earth 
No six women were so chaste. 
Then said the maiden without guile, 
" The world is a many-sided heap ; 

^ This is a curious episode in Fenian tory. The daughter of Deirg was the 
history, Maighineaswasthe wife of Finn mother of Ossian, and consequently an- 
according to Irish writers on Fenian his- other of Finn's wives. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 73 



Though pure are ye, they are not few 
Women quite as chaste as you." 
They had been a short time thus, 
When they saw a maid approach. 
Her covering a single seamless robe, 
Of spotless white from end to end ; 
The maiden of the pure white robe 
Drew near to where M'Cumhal sat. 
She blessed the king of guileless heart, 
And close beside him there sat down. 
Finn asks her to give them her tale. 
The handsome maid of whitest hand : 
" Maid of the seamless robe, I ask, 
What virtue 's in thy spotless veil ?" 
" My seamless robe has this strange power 
That women, such as are not chaste. 
Can in its folds no shelter find, — 
None but the spotless wife it shields." 
" Give my wife the robe at once," 
Said the bulky, senseless Conan, 
" That we may learn what is the truth 
Of what the women just have said." 
Then Conan's wife does take the robe, 
And in vexation pulls it on ; 
'Twas truly pity it was done. 
Her fair -skinned breast was all exposed. 
Then when the bald-pate Conan saw 
How that the robe shrunk into folds, 
He seized in passion his sharp spear. 
And with it did the woman slay. 
Then the loved Diarmad's wife 
The robe from Conan's wife did take ; 
No better did she fare than she, 
About her locks it clung in folds. 
Then Oscar's wife seized on the robe. 
Which looked so long and softly smooth ; 
But wide and large as were its wings. 



74 THE BOOK OF 

The robe her middle did not reach. 

Then fair Maighinis took the robe, 

And put it also o'er her head ; 

The robe there creased and folded up, 

And gathered fast about her ears. 

" Give my wife the robe," said Mac Eea., 

" For the result I have no fear, 

That we may see, without deceit, 

Of her merit further proof." 

" I would pass my word for it, 

Though I claim not to be learned. 

That never have I once transgressed, 

I've been faithful aye to thee." 

Mac Eea's wife now showed her side, 

The robe was then put o'er her head ; 

Her body was covered, feet and hands, 

ISTone of it all was left exposed. 

Her bosom then one kiss received 

From Mac O'Duine, from Diarmad ; 

The robe from her he then unfolds. 

From her who thus did stand alone. 

" Women, give me now my robe, 

I am the daughter of Deirg the fierce, 

I have done nought to cause me shame, 

I only erred with sharp-armed Finn." 

" Bear thou my curse, and quick away," 

These were then the words of Mac Cumhail. 

On women he denounced a curse. 

Because of her who came that day. 

'Twas on a day. 



The expedition of eight I remember, 
Which oft returns to my mind ; 
Some of their exploits I'll relate. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 75 

Though now my strength is- all gone. 
Oscar and manly Caoilte were there, 
And Mac Luy of ceaseless praise ; 
Finn and white-toothed Diarmad, 
Of the eight heroes these were five. 
There were myself and Eyno and Caroll, 
A gentle, matchless band ; 
Bred were we all in Banva's soil, 
These were the names of the eight. 
When we set forth, true the tale, 
'Twas with a proud and manly step. 
From Mac Cumhal's fort we set out. 
The expedition of eight I remember. 
First of all we made for Albain, 
'Twas with a struggle we reached it, 
There a king fell by Mac Cumlial, 
The expedition of eight I remember. 
We then strove to get to Sasunn,^ 
Exploits and slayings were there ; 
Every stronghold was seized by Finn, 
The expedition of eight I remember. 
To Italy we then carried the battle. 
And fiercely fought in its harbours ; 
Triumphs and treaties we had then. 
The expedition of eight I remember. 
In France did we then make war. 
Where we had many great hardships ; 
Submission and treaties were made. 
The expedition of eight I remember. 
After that we fought in Spain, 
There we had prey and great spoil ; 
I have traversed the earth in my day, 
The expedition of eight I remember. 
We next carried war to Britain, 
'Twas fearful and full of danger ; 
Yet did we earn a triumph, 

^ Sasunn, " England," after the Saxon invasion. 



k 



76 THE BOOK OF 

The expedition of eight I remember. 
We bore along " Crom nan carn/'-^ 
O'er the fierce, stormy sea ; 
Every land made to us submission, 
The expedition of eight I remember. 
After it we led the chiefs, 
Most gentle and holy Patrick, 
Who made their submission to Finn, 
The expedition of eight I remember. 
Sanctify, Patrick, my soul. 
Thou blessed and privileged man, 
For I have sinned in thy sight. 
The expedition of eight I remember. 

The expedition. 



NiNE^ of us once did bind ourselves 
To find material for a pup's head. 
To find material for a dog-pup's head ; 
Though no attempt was more laborious. 
We searched the plain of Leny Leirg, 
And Glen Frenich of bloody swords ; 
True, we found not there one hound 
From which v/e could obtain a pup. 
Then did we search a dark, black glen, 
A glen of deep corries, full of stones ; 
True, we found not there one hound 
From which we could obtain a pup. 

1 It is difficult to say what this is. forms the editor that the *' Conchean- 
" Crom" was a Celtic deity. Here the naich or Dogheads were an ancient race 
word seems to indicate a banner. The who inhabited Magh O'Coin-chinn, now 
word "Crom nan cairge" will be found Moygonihy, in Kerry. They were said 
in the second volume of the publications to be great enemies of Finn, This 
of the Ossianic Society of Ireland, pp. poem may really describe an attack 
53, 58. upon them." One of the Irish kings was 

2 This is a curious piece. The dog called " Cairbar Cinn Chait," or Cairbar 
without doubt entered largely into the of the Cafs-head. The latter portion of 
mythology of the ancient Celts. Some the poem, referring to the banners of the 
have supposed that it was an object of Feine, has been preserved in tradition, 
worship with them. Mr. O'Curry in- although the editions of it are various. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



77 



We searched the Sian of Drum Cliff, 
Fair after it seemed the plain of Liff ; 
True, we found not there one hound 
From which we could obtain a pup. 
We searched in Thurles of liberal hosts, 
In Bregian Tara and Dun Dobhran ; 
True, we found not there one hound 
Frcmi which we could obtain a pup. 
We searched, too, through Glen a Cuaich, 
Looking out for something noble ; 
True, we found not there one hound 
From which we could obtain a pup. 
We searched Moylena of slopes, 
Through Bregian Tara and Kinsale ; 
True, we found not there one hound 
From which we could obtain a pup. 
We searched the whole of Eire, 
Men and dogs ranging together ; 
True, we found not there one hound 
From which we could obtain a pup. 
Shortly were we thus engaged, 
Ourselves, our followers, and friends, 
When three battalions were seen, 
Sons to the King of Eualay.^ 
Cat-headed one battalion was. 
Dog-headed was the one beside it ; 
The other behind them was white-backed, 
Brown the rest, though white the back. 
Aloft the mighty javelin shone 
Of Finn, hero of bloody strength ; 
Above his noble, murderous shield, 
He bore that spear of hundred fights. 
Bright was the glitter of the spear 
In the white hand of Finn himself. 



\ 



* This seems to have been an imagin- 
ary monarch, like many of those in the 
" Ursgeuls," or prose tales of the High- 



lands. At least the Editor has not met 
with the name elsewhere. 



78 THE BOOK OF 

Beneath the shield of cheerful Caoilte 

Was the javelin, bloody in fight ; 

The javelin glittering below, 

Held by Caoilte of joyful heart. 

Beneath his round and handsome shield 

Cruinchan's son his javelin bore. 

Caoilte gave a loud, far-sounding shout, 

In distant Alvin it was heard. 

And in Magh Lena of sharp spears, 

In Tavar and in Dun Eeillin. 

'Twas answered loud by Gaul Mac Morn, 

The noble chief of Cronwoyn, 

Where Faolan, son of Finn, is found, 

The Balwas, too, from Borrin. 

'Twas answered by Manwoe Breck's two sons, 

And by Mac EUe from TJabreck, 

Fair Sciath, the son of Daithein Dian, 

And Ceall the brave, of sharp-edged arms. 

Keangach the bold gave answer too. 

And lolunn of the bloody edge. 

And Ceall the brave, of handsome form, 

Who ne'er to scandal's tale gave ear. 

Pleasing the sound of clashing spears, 

Pleasing, too, the hum of warriors. 

Of waving banners sweet the sound. 

As in morn's frosty wind they rose. 

The " Image of the Sun"^ we raised, 

The banner of great Fenian Finn, 

Studded all around with gold. 

Great was its price as red it gleamed. 

We raised " Fulang Duari"^ aloft, 

i Finn's banner had inscribed upon 2 The Editor has not attempted to 

it, according to this bard, ^' Dealbh translate these and several others of the 

Ghreine," or The image of the Sun. This emblems of the Fenian leaders. He has 

word has been corrupted by tradition to given the v/ords as he found them, ex- 

" Deo ghreine," said to be the sun-beam, cept when the meaning was obvious and 

though upon no authority, "deo" in no xinquestionable. 
case signifying " a beam", 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 79 



The banner of great Gaul Mac Morn. i 

Oft when the javelins were in motion, i 

'Twas both the first and last to move. j 

Aloft we raised the " Mincheann Oir," ^ 

Banner of Eyno and his men ; 1 

Under its folds were bones and heads i 

■> 

Cloven, and ankles steeped in blood. ■ 
The " Cineal chath" we also raised. 
The banner of the oaken Faolan ; 

Finn's son, chief of the Feinn, ' 
Who cast with powerful arm his spear. 
Then we raised aloft " Dun nimh," 
The banner of Ossian of the brave ; 

The banner of Mac Eonan, " the Eed-hand," ^ j 

Whose other side was all adorned. i 

" Sguab Ghabhaidh," too, we raised aloft, I 

Banner of the well-armed Oscar, ] 

When the stormy conflict raged, ! 

Oft was " Sguab Ghabhaidh" waving seen. ; 

The " Lia Luinneach" aloft we raised, ; 

The banner of nimble, powerful Diarmaid ; ! 

Oft when the men began their march, ; 

'Twas seen to flutter vigorously. \ 

Then was the " Beam Eeubainn" raised, ; 

Banner of Oscar, no saintly sign ; j 

The echo of the glens replied \ 

To its fierce sounds, waving on high. \ 

The " Bloody hand" aloft we raised, \ 

Banner of Mac Luy, and his men ; J 

When the Feinn went forth to fight, ' 

Its place was always in the van. j 

Then did we fight a bloody fight, | 

As round the noble Finn we stood, ; 

Eound the steel of manly Finn, \ 



1 This 'heraldic emblem of Caoilte aids. It is probably the oldest of the ■ 

M'Ronan has descended through a long kind in the kingdom. 1 

course of ancestors to the modern M 'Don- i 



80 THE BOOK OF 

First of all tlie valorous Feinn. 
The whole of the Catheads were killed, 
The Dogheads we seized to a man ; 
The whole of the Whitebacks fell 
Eound dauntless Finn of Alvin. 
We found a little hill to the south, 
On which was built a double fort ; 
There indeed we found a hound 
From which we could obtain a pup. 
The whole of Eire we had searched, 
All of us, both men and dogs. 
In all its length we could not find 
A hundred who could match our nine. 

Mne. 



Sweet is man's voice in the land of gold, 
Sweet the sounds the birds produce, 
Sweet is the murmur of the crane, 
Sweet sound the waves at Bun Datreor, 
Sweet the soft murmuring of the wind. 
Sweet sounds the cuckoo at Cas a clioin. 
How soft and pleasing shines the sun. 
Sweet the blackbird sings his song ; 
Sweet the eagle's voice of Easaroy, 
Above the sea of great Mac Morn ; 
Sweet the cuckoo 'mongst the branches, 
Sweet the silence of the crane. 
Finn Mac Cumhail is my father. 
Who nobly leads the Feinn's seven bands ; 
When he his hounds lets loose to hunt, 
To follow him is truly sweet. 

Sweet. 



1 
1 



A NOBLE tale of sweetest music. 
To Carn Vallar now I'll bring ; 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 81 

That whetlier others hear or not, 

It may be heard by Mac Cumhail. 

Mac Cumhail once had a feast 

On Almhuin's slope, of finest gold ; 

O'er the music he presided, 

Finn who ever graced the feast. 

Brave Oscar and Diarmad were there, 

And good Mac Luy, warriors bold ; 

With other two who ne'er shunned fight, 

Conan himself, and with him Oscar. 

" Tell me now, my warriors brave, 

As at the feast of Finn ye sit. 

Which do ye count the sweetest music ?" 

" The clang of gaming," Conan said, 

'' The sweetest sounds I ever heard." 

Vigorous his arm before the foe. 

Yet ne'er a man who more lacked sense. 

" The sound of swords drawing on the foe," 

Said he who never spared in fight, 

" Cleaving of men's heads and legs," 

The sweetest music Oscar heard. 

" The sounds which ever pleased me most," 

Said Diarmad of slow rolling eye, 

" That I loved most all my life. 

Was woman's voice, as soft she talked." 

" My music, thou son of Morn," 

Said Mac Luy of the glittering arms, 

" Is leaping 'midst the tumult of my dogs, 

As swift upon the deer they gain." 

" 'Tis this that music is for me," 

Said Finn, the chief of all the host, 

" To have my banner in the wind. 

Heroes ranged by its golden side." 

" When of the bards I had no fear, 

Ossian," he said, as still he spoke ; 

" And when my Feinn were still around me, 

Sweet its music in my ears." 



82 THE BOOK OF 

A GEEAT feast was made by Finn/ 

I tell thee now, tonsured Priest, 

Many were the men were there. 

Of the Feine of Alba and Erin. 

The great Mac Morn did ask 

Of the queen of whitest hand, 

" Did'st thou see so rich a feast 

Since thou cam'st 'mongst the Peine of Erin ?" 

Finn of the Feine himself replied, 

Chiefest of all both east and west ; 

He said she saw a richer feast 

Than any Fenian feast in Erin. 

We then saw coming from the waves 

A warrior tall, manly, fair-haired, 

No man was with him but himself. 

And a noble man he was. 

When he had come near the Feine, 

Thus did he mildly, wisely say, 

" Come, Finn, come along with me. 

And take with thee a hundred men ; 

Thirty sons of the great Morn, 

Let them be the first around thee ; 

One man and eight of thy own sons. 

Take them and Oscar of the Feine's Fians ; 

Let ten of the sons of Smoil be there. 

And twenty of the sons of Eonan ; 

Let some of Muin's sons be there. 

Other ten, not counting Diarmad ; 

Take with thee Diarmad O'Duine, 

He who could either court or hunt. 

Both him and Caroll in thy ship ; 

1 Hospitality was tlie most esteemed themselves especially, seemed to mak 

feature in the character of the Celtic np what they looked upon as a perfect 

chief. That of Finn is sung with nn- character for their leader. These feasts 

tiring admiration by the poets. This were apparently affairs of great moment, 

virtue, with bravery, generosity, and as the like are in our OAvn day. 
liberal giving, no doubt to the poets 



I 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 

Let there be ten of men and crew, 

Of thy men take with thee nine, 

Of those whom thou'dst most like to have 

Besides them all thyself, O Finn, 

Thou dauntless and well-armed man. 

Take o'er the waves a hundred men 

Of those that follow Finn Mac Cumhail, 

A hundred shields with golden studs, 

For Finn Mac Cumhail, Mac Tranevor. 

Take now with thee also, Finn, 

The two best hounds that are in Erin ; 

Bran and Scoilean^ take them with thee, 

The swiftest-footed of the pack. 

Have no fear about thee, Finn," 

The tall and cheerful warrior said ; 

" Let them all be brought in peace, 

And trouble not our men or ships." 

" Foolish the speech thou now hast made^ 

Thou man who cam'st amongst us ; 

Wert thou to approach nearer Finn, 

Thy body soon would want its head." 

" Little care I for what thou say'st. 

Bald-headed Conan of the gibes ; 

Pity for thy friends that thou art there, 

Ugly and feeble as thou art." 

" Else ye up, ye sons of Boisgne," 

Then spoke Conan, so well known ; 

Each man did seize a hero's arms. 

From every side the Fians came fast. 

Then fell there slain a son of Finn, 

One of the stalwart, white-hand Fians, 

A man of Mac Morn's followers too, 

A vigorous hand 'midst battle's blows. 

" Fergus, now go rouse thee up. 

And mingle boldly in the fight ; 

Ask whether Gaul has aught to give 

^ Scoilean was the second favourite hound of Finn. 



84 THE BOOK OF 

To Conan, whom he knows so well." 
" Let Finn himself then be the judge/' 
Said the great G-aul of mighty blows ; 
" Conan or I shall take his head, 
Or else his brains we will dash out." 
Fergus, Gaol, and thirty are in the glen, 
Who never more shall see this earth, 
Unknown to all the Feine of Finn. 
Sad is my tale, tonsured Priest. 
Much do I weary, valiant Priest, 
For now I never see the Feine, 
Hunting, as wont, from glen to glen, 
With herds of deer on every side. 
Much loved I Ossian, son of Finn, 
He only never yet forsook me ; 
But above all the men I saw, 
Finn of the feasts I loved most. 

A great feast. 



'Tis sad that the hill of the Feine, 
Should now by the clerics be held. 
And that the songs of men of books 
Should fill the halls of clan Baoisgne. 
I myself was once in Path Cruachan,^ 
Happily beneath thy banks, 
I little thought I e'er should find 
A priest upon thy summit dwelling. 
There would be found my shield and spear, 

^ Eatli Criiaclian, as Irisli tradition have " Cruaclian Beinne," The hillock 

says, was the chief seat of the Feinn of upon the mountain, usually called Ben 

Connaught, usually called the Sons of Cruachan. The -word '^Kath" enters 

Mom. The word " Eath " means a i^or^, largely into Scottish topography, and 

and Cruachan an elevation more than assumes different forms in English, 

usually steep. It sometimes stands upon Rath, Roth, Rothie, Rait, Raits, etc. 
another hill, as in Argyleshire, where we 



I 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 85 

My dogs and hounds along thy ridge, 

Although to-night the Fenian hill 

Is under clerics and their crosiers. 

Were the sons of Morn alive, 

The priestly order soon must quit ; 

You would find yourselves cut up, 

Ye men of the spotted crooks. 

Were Mac Luy alive, 

With his six heroes bold. 

Ere you had quitted the hill 

You'd find your garments curtailed. 

Were the sons of Ceard alive, 

Who never hypocrisy knew, 

Neither your bells nor crooks 

Would in place of their banners be found. 

Were the sons of Muin alive. 

Who knew no weakness in fight, 

Men would not see thy people 

So powerful amidst our hills. 

Were the sons of black Garry alive. 

Or Caoilte, who was ever so brave, 

Neither the sounds of bells or priests 

Would now be heard in Eath Cruachan. 

Were red-haired Eyno alive. 

And brave Caol, son of Eevan, 

Thy books would not be so whole, 

Oh man, who readest the Bible. 

And for all thy hooked crosiers. 

Which have travelled over the earth, 

Thy staves would be in splinters. 

Were only brave Oscar alive. 

Thou of the yellow^ garment. 

Who sittest so much at thine ease, 

'Tis well for thee that Conan is dead, 

1 " Yellow " was the favourite colour probably as a means of commending 
of the Celts. It seems that St. Patrick himself and his cause to the good-wil] of 
adopted it as the clerical colour, very the people. 



I 



THE BOOK OF 

Else thou'dst feel the weight of his fist. 

Were the blue-eyed hero alive. 

Bald Conan, the son of the Feine, 

Cleric, though thy office be sacred, 

With his fist he'd strike thee down. 

Were the son of O'Diiine alive. 

Thou man of the crooked staff, 

Thy staff should be all in shivers, 

Smashed at the pillar of stone. 

Thou man of the bell, I do think, 

If Daoruinn were now in life, 

Thy bell would be now in pieces, 

Scattered before the pillar. 

Were the red point seen, old man, 

Of the swift-flying spear of Mac Eonan, 

Thy bell would not be faintly sounding, 

Thou who sing'st the howling song. 

I cannot be joyful now, 

I see not Mac Cumhail in life, 

I see not Diarmad O'Duine, 

I see not Caoilte Mac Eonan. 

No wonder though I should be sad. 

As I sit on this mound, Patrick. 

I see not the son of Luy, 

I see not the hero so loved, 

I see not Fearluth by my side, 

I see not the Fenian Oscar ; 

I see not warlike exercises, 

I see not the noble hounds ; 

I see not the sons of Smoil, 

I see not Gaul of great feats, 

I see not the generous Faolan, 

I see not with him the Feine. 

I see not Fergus, my brother. 

So gentle and worthy of praise ; 

I see not Daire of the songs. 

Whose music we always enjoyed. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 87 

I see not Fatha^ Canan, 

Whose presence filled us with joy ; 

I see not one of our band, 

Whose noise was like thunder in war. 

I see neither music nor joy, 

I hear not if music there be, 

Ere I was laid in my cave 

Freely I scattered my gold. 

Patrick, I tell thee it now. 

If I chose my knowledge to give. 

That 'tis not in my power to relate 

How much of their joy I have seen. 

I and the mass-book clerics. 

Are two that can never agree. 

Though this night so mournful I am, 

I'm sad for the hiU of Feine. 

'Tis sad. 



I NOW will tell thee, Grainne,^ 
What I have seen with Mac Cumhail. 
The misery I suffer now 
I cannot much longer endure. 
I have seen sport and rejoicing 
'Mongst those who now are despised. 
I have seen maidens and men, 
I now will tell thee, Grainne. 
Courtesy and cheerfulness too, 

1 Fatha Canan appears in several of settled in Scotland, and was progeni- 

these pieces. He appears as Fatha son tor of the Campbells. 
of Mac Con, and Faycanan. He was son 

of Lnghaidh Mac Con, a King of Ireland, 2 Grainne was the wife of Finn, and 

of the race of Ith, who liomished in the the poet, whether it be Ossian or some 

middle of the third century. Hence his other of the Fenian bards, addresses this 

name Fatha Mac Mhic Con, Fatha son description of the glory of Finn and his 

of Mac Cotls son. The Irish say he followers to her. 



THE BOOK OF 

I've seen with feasts, steeds, and shouting. 
I've seen the violin played, 
I now wiU tell thee, Grainne. 
Great Caoilte and Mac Lny, 
A couple who can't be despised. 
We oft gained nought by their wrath. 
I now will tell thee, Grainne. 
Gaul and Oscar and Ossian, 
A brood who did nought by halves ; 
These all loved us well, 
I now will tell thee, Grainne. 
Finn himself of fearless heart, 
Whose welcome was always sure, 
We've seen him cheerful too, 
I now will tell thee, Grainne. 
I have in nine battles been. 
To me no joy is now left. 
Looking on nought but their graves, 
I now will tell thee, Grainne. 
In wrath we crossed over hills. 
And over Banva's fierce tops ; 
Then in singing their praise. 
Employment was found for my lips. 
We feared for nought in the valleys, 
I now will tell thee, Grainne. 
I was both long time and short 
Traversing Erin the fair ; 
We were famous and powerful then, 
I now will teU thee, Grainne. 
I now will tell. 



Once on a day there was in Dundalgin,i 
Cuchullin of the handsome form ; 

^ The following piece seems to be made obligingly taken the trouble to examine 
np of fragments, Mr. O'Ctirry, who has it, suggests that it contains fragments 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



89 



I 



Joy and merriment were his, 

All his people were with him. 

When from the drinking hall we rose, 

We saw the whole of the Feine. 

We strove from their hiding-place to raise 

The flocks of birds in the two hills. 

The most loved thing of all we had 

Was the women of Clan Eury province. 

The valley we were in was rough, 

We drove the birds to its mouth, 

In hopes that we might find a hero. 

The father of Conlach chased 

The birds with handsome Daoruing, 

The sweet-spoken noble of Coll in Galway. 

The well-formed sling was then used 

With skill by great CuchuUin, 

He with the arm of well-known strength ; 

The birds with speed he kills. 

The game was then divided, 

N"one was forgotten but Evir.^ 

Evir took wrath for her share, 

'Tis true that prudence was lacking. 

'Twas promised her in reparation 

That "she should have the first birds slain, 

Killed on the mountain side, 

With the skill of the shot for her fired. 

As they travelled they came to a place 

Where poets were wont to resort ; 



of four different pieces : -The Irish bardic 
account of the name of " Srubh Brain," 
or the '^Raven's snout," at Loch Swilly ; 
the legend of "Cuchullin's sick -bed ;" 
the death of Conlaoch ; and a short but 
imperfect account of the battle of Cnucha, 
in which Cumhal was killed. The piece 
is given as in the MS., and if thus made 
up, is just as it was written in the be- 
ginning of the sixteenth century. The 
Editor has to state, however, that the 
leaves which contain it are so discol- 



oured, and the writing so defaced, that 
he has had the greatest difficulty in de- 
ciphering it at all, and for many of the 
words he cannot be answerable except 
as guesses. Mr. M'Lachlan of Aberdeen, 
who transcribed the gTeater portion of the 
MS., did not transcribe this piece; and 
it is given now merely from the desire to 
withhold nothing in it that may be of 
value or interest. 

^ Evir was the wife of Cuchullin. 



k 



90 THE BOOK OF 

Each of them wore round his neck 

A chain of the purest gold. 

Tlie wife of Cuchullin fell in love 

With one of our Ulster Fians, 

With the willing and handsome friend 

Who came from the Ulster bounds. 

Evir of the weighty locks asks 

Her agreement with Cuchullin, 

That she should now have her birds, 

Without excuse about them. 

Twice or thrice did he shoot at 

The wild birds, but missed his aim : 

'Twas a victor's leap as he shot 

Three shots amongst the birds. 

The last blow he had struck ere then 

Had pierced his own dear son. 

Without joy, or women at feasts. 

Had he been, as he sadly mourned. 

For a whole year he did nought 

But grieve for the hero now dead. 

'Twas not tales of the Feine he sought, 

But to have that tale rehearsed. 

If the story men tell be true. 

The Cu never ceased to grieve ; 

The blossomed branch whom women loved, 

Sad and grievous was his state. 

It happened at length of a time, 

A few of the Feine met together. 

Finn himself had joined the hmit, 

And sent us in pairs to search. 

I myself sat with Garry, 

Side by side with the King. 

Finn put the question to Garry, 

As by the King's side he sat : 

" Since that thou wert there. 

How was't ye slew Cumhal ?" 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



91 



" I will now pass my word/ 
Since to me the question thou putt'st, 
That mine was the powerful arm 
Which gave the first wound to Cumhal." 
" That is a cold welcome for me, 
Ye sons of Morn, as a follower ; 
'Tis hard indeed for me to bear, 
To know that ye slew my father." 
" If that be a cold welcome for you, 
Finn, son of Cumhal from Alvin, 
Put aside pretended love, 
And show your usual hatred." 
" Should I now raise my arm, 
Ye hated children of Morn, 
I could do all I chose alone. 
Without the help of any man." 
" Ere ever thou had'st so moved, 
Walking in the steps of thy father. 
Lightly could we leap o'er streams. 
Were it not for the wiles of Cumhal. 
'Twas Cumhal got influence o'er us, 
'Twas Cumhal oppressed us sore, 
'Twas Cumhal that banished us far, 
To the land of the stranger away. 
Some he sent to Albin fair. 
And some to Lochlin the dark. 
The third band to Greece the white, 
We all from each other were torn. 
Sixteen years were we all 
Severed from Erin ; 'tis truth, 
No small calamity was this, 
Never each other to see. 



1 It is here that Garry's account of 
the battle of Cnucha commences. The 
account, as Mr. 0' Curry says, may be 
imperfect ; but the gathering together of 
such fragments, and comparing them 
with one another, cannot but be inter- 



esting to the student of early Celtic his- 
tory. There is interest in the variety, 
irrespective of the question of compara- 
tive merit as between the different com- 
positions. This may be a Scotch version 
of an Irish story. 



92 THE BOOK OF 

Tlie first day we set foot on shore 
In Erin's isle, so mucli loved, 
We slew, and it is no lie. 
At least sixteen hundred men. 
These all were slain by Clan Morn, 
Their heroes and their chiefs ; 
There was not a man of them all 
But such as their women would mourn. 
With that their castles we seized, 
We, the noble Clan of Morn, 
Our race did bravely then 
Before the men of Erin. 
By thy hand, hero of the Eeine, 
There ne'er was seen, east or west. 
One thing to cloud my eye. 
But seeing the slaughter there ; 
My heart became tender and soft 
As I saw the terrible scene. 
We all surrounded one house. 
In Munster of the red towers ; 
But such was the strength of the man, 
'Twas easier to find than to kill. 
They slew on the opposite hill 
All that lived of Cumhal's race. 
We made a joint and rapid rush 
To the house where Cumhal still was ; 
Each man of us gave a wound 
With his spear to the body of Cumhal. 
Though it was my lot to be there 
At the time that Cumhal was slain, 
Eor the deed vdiich then was done. 
Take vengeance now if you will." 
Once on a dav. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 93 

The author of this is Duncan Mor from Lennox/ 

Pity the man who lost his voice, 
When he is called on to recite, 
Who cannot speak so fast as needs be, 
And yet 's unwilling to give up. 
Who cannot sing an air or tune, 
And cannot well recite a lay. 
Who cannot put aside his harp. 
Yet cannot sing as he would wish. 
Pity him ever with his " dring, drang," 
Trying his verses to recite. 
When men can neither hear his harp, 
N"or understand the songs he sings. 
Pity the man neglects his health, 
And strives not his vigour to retain. 
Pity the man who ever strives 
To have the fruit he cannot reach. 
Were I to wish to have such fruit, 
Fruit which I could not reach on high, 
rd cut the tree down at the root. 
Let men be angry if they will. 

Pity. 

The author of this is Gilchrist Taylor.^ 

Bless, Trinity, thy household. 
King of heaven, place of jewels ; 

^ The fragments of Ossianic or Fenian big, from Lennox or Dnmbartonsliire, 

poetry in the miscellany of Dean Mae- might be a man of some note in his day, 

gregor are now exhausted. They afford but time has obliterated all knowledge 

some idea of the amount of such poetry of him. His composition is of a class 

in the Highlands at the time he lived. well known in his day, and highly popu- 

We now proceed with those pieces which lar, being aphoristic. Several composi- 

profess to be of a more recent date. tions, consisting of a series of aphorisms, 

These will be found to consist chiefly of will be found in the sequel, 

compositions of the fourteenth and fif- ^ There are several pieces by this poet 

teenth centuries. The first short compo- in the Dean's MS., but we know nothing 

sition here given is one by a poet hitherto of his history. He was probably an eccle- 

unknown to modern fame. Duncan the siastic. 



M ' THE BOOK OF 

Black thy family was not formed, 

All by thyself in wisdom made. 

By thee 'twas Adam's race was shaped 

The cheek like berries richly red ; 

Thou who blessest place and people 

Curse them that 'gainst thee fierce contend. 

There is a pack of cruel hounds, 

Who the king's children sorely grieve ; 

I hear the baying of these dogs. 

Every glen is full of it. 

Such as war on Adam's race, 

Since that they cannot silence keep, 

Joined together in their evil, 

Powers of the king of light them smite ; 

Such as war on Adam's race. 

Of crafty Lucifer the slaves. 

Give them no rest, to them give none. 

King of lights do thou them burn. 

Mounted on two ugly steeds, 

When vicious packs abound the most, 

They furiously commence the hunt, 

Belching out death on every side. 

Curse thou their hunt and devastation. 

Their two steeds so black in hue ; 

Lay them, their backs stretched on the turf, 

Scatter the heads of this black band. 

There is a band of cruel hounds 

Harbouring at Inch Aid Art, 

They're horrid brutes, Thou God forsake them. 

Let bags out of their skins be made. 

Though many be the skins of wolves, 

Covering our harps, both small and great. 

The cold and empty skulls are many. 

Given us by these fierce hounds. 

rather of Christ, with speed them strike 

From Lochaber to Eaon Fraoich, 

Soon let the plague their bodies waste ; 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 95 

'Tis sad that thus I have to speak. 
Though no reparation for a true hound. 
For Eobert's son^ of clustering locks. 
From Loch Yenachar of rich glens, 
Many's the ugly head laid low. 
Though from Ben Gnlbin's sunny side. 
Many the dogs to Tummel's stream. 
Who know to hunt along its side. 
The eye of Christ is on them all. 
*Twas told me when at Inverness, 
That greyhounds were scattering the pack. 
Pity the man who's seized with fear, 
'Tis like the falling sickness, sore. 
Pleasing to witness hounds pursue. 
Them who would slay the fine grey steeds. 
May God's Son with His holy power. 
Destroy all surly cruel hounds. 
Smoke every den in Schiehallion, 
John Stewart of the bounding steeds. 
Ere I must call a sweet- voiced pack 
This litter of ugly, snarling curs. 
By Garry of John Stewart of the white steed, 
No antlers are seen without the head, 
While 'mongst the rocky rugged woods, 
Are seen the grey-skinned pack of hounds. 

Bless. 



The author of this is Gilllecallum Mac an Olla.^ | 

There is no joy without the clan Donald, | 

No battle when they are awanting ; | 

^ The piece is extremely obscure, but infamous persons whom the poet de- ' 
the reference to Mac Kohert and the nounces are said to have done evil to the 

Athole Stewarts would seem to indicate race of kings. '■ 

that the subjects of the poem were the ^ This bard has been met "with already } 

murderers of King James the First. The as an imitator of Ossian. He was in all J 



96 THE BOOK OF 

First of the clans in all the earth, 
Each man of them is a hundred. 
The noblest clan which you can find, 
A race as brave as they are peaceful ; 
The clan whose praise does fill the lands. 
Famed for their faith and godliness. 
The clan so faithful, bold, and brave, 
The clan so swift amidst the fight. 
The clan so gentle among men, 
And yet in battle none so fierce ; 
The clan most numerous of all 
Whose number has been ever known. 
The clan which never vexed the Church, 
And ever dreaded its reproach. 
Of all that dwell in Albin green. 
This is the bravest e'er baptized. 
The third of every land is theirs, 
Their bravery is like the falcon's. 
The clan most numerous and famous. 
Of finest form and fairest mould ; 
The clan that has the largest hearts. 
Most patient and most liberal. 
They, sons of kings, deserved no gibe 
AVhen asked in trouble to give help. 
N"oble were they since the time 
When there was giving and poor ones. 
The clan for wine and shelter best. 
The first in prowess and in strength. 
'Tis sad how short the length extends 
Given by him who spins your thread. 
They were not wicked and rough, 
ISTor were they gentle and weak. 

likelihood an ecclesiastic. Several of the lines of this composition with ^'bron- 

early Lords of the Isles were liberal be- tachd,"&es;;oi«Mi(/, is often by early Gaelic 

nefactors to the Clnirch, and it is not writers applied to monks and hermits, 

nnlikely that this liberality called forth who lived npon the beneficence of the 

the praises of our bard. The word wealthy, and became finally enriched by 

" bochd," poor, associated in one of the their gifts. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 97 

In midst of trial and liardships, 

Not harder than them was the rock. 

The clan without pride or misdeeds, 

When the spoil of battle is theirs. 

'Mongst them you'd find gentlemen, 

And common people with them. 

Pity him who has lost their defence, 

Pity him who forsakes their protection. 

There is no clan like the clan Donald, 

The noble clan of firmest mind. 

Who is there can number their gifts ? 

Who is there can count their nobles ? 

Without limit, commencement or close, 

Of excellencies among their gentry. 

First of all with the clan Donald, 

There is knowledge which they learn ; 

Last of all, there is among them 

Polish, generosity, and modesty. 

'Tis in sorrow and in grief 

Understanding and learning are got, 

By him who them would have. 

1^0 joy without the clan Donald. 

Loud was the sound of their thunder. 

This race so wise and faithful, 

Though now they be reproached. 

There is no joy without the clan Donald. 

This people so great in fame. 

In courtesy, mind, and firmness. 

There is no right without them. 

There is no joy without the clan Donald. 

The son of his virgin mother. 

Who hath earned for us freedom from pain, 

Though he be faithful and true. 

There is no joy without the clan Donald. 

There is no joy. 



98 THE BOOK OF 



Alas ! alas ! this is the head ^ 
"Which belonged to the blue-armed Conull ; 
The head where Tinderstanding was found, 
Noble it was and most lovely. 
Alas I alas 1 this is the eye 
That dwelt in generous Conull's head ; 
Eound which the eyehd w^ound, 
Benevolent it was and manful. 
Alas ! alas ! this is the mouth 
In which no bard did folly find ; 
Its lips so thin, like apples red, 
Sweet as honey the mouth of Conull. 
Alas ! alas ! this is the hand 
That Conull Mac Scanlan owned ; 
The hand of him so brave in battle, 
The hand of Conull my first beloved. 
Alas ! alas ! this is the side 
By which our noble side we laid ; 
It was a hound from Mull that came, 
John did lie upon his side. 
Alas ! alas ! this is the foot 
Which ne'er before a warrior fled ; 
The foot of him in fight most brave, 
The foot of the shielded son of Scanlan. 
Alas ! success e'er followed Conull, 
^Vhere'er it was he battle fought ; 
But now that my tale is done. 
This place is the dwelling of tears. 

Alas! 

1 Mr. O'Curry says regarding this wMcli the Four Masters say lie was killed. ] 

Conull Mac Scanlan, " I don't know any The old account says he was disabled,! 

person in our history whose name would and disappeared no one knows where. It 

agree with his but Congal Claen, son of would be cimous if youi' elegy could be 

Scanlan, Prince of Ulster, who fought traced up to this hero." 
the battle of Magh Eath in a.d. 634, in 



1 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



The author of this is John of Knoydart. ^ 

Thou head of Diarmad O'Cairbre/ 
Though great be thy trouble and pain, 
I grudge thee not aU thou hast suffered, 
Although it be painful to tell. 
I grudge not though thy ragged locks 
Be searched by the winds from the glens. 
I grudge thee not that thou art bound, 
Thou head of Diarmad O'Cairbre ; 
Pity the thought e'er filled men's breasts, 
That thy friendship was not hatred ; 
Pity, alas ! thou turn'dst not back. 
Thou head of Diarmad O'Cairbre ; 
Thou hast the King of Isla slain. 
Who freely gave his wine and money, 
Him of the soft and flowing locks, 
Thou head of Diarmad O'Cairbre ; 
Isla, king of well filled horns. 
Who with his friends so kindly dealt ; 
Alas ! who gashed his soft white skin. 
Thou head of Diarmad O'Cairbre ! 
Beloved was that liberal hand, 
Which never grudged his gold or silver, 
And which in feast or hunt was first, 
Thou head of Diarmad O'Cairbre. 

1 Of the author of this fragment we O'Carby, an Irish harper, instigated by 
have no tradition. All we learn here is M'Kenzie, whose daughter had capti- 
that he was a Knoydart man, that moun- vated the impressible musician. In the 
tainous region lying between Loch Hourn Irish annals this harper is called Diar- 
and Morar, on the west coast of Inver- mad. This lay seems to commemorate 
ness-shire, till lately possessed by the the event by commemorating the punish- 
Macdonells of Glengarry. ment of the assassin, which was inflicted 

2 In a transcript of a MS. history of by drawing him between horses. The 
the Macdonalds, published in the Trans- lines being composed shortly after the 
actions of the lona Club, it is said that event, which took place about the year 
Angus Og of Isla, or of the Isles, who 1490, and being taken down by the Dean, 
fought against his father in the battle of are sufficient evidence of the historical 
the Bloody Bay, was assassinated by Art accuracy of the statement. 



100 THE BOOK OF 

It is my prayer to th' Apostles' King, 
He who preserves by His great power, 
That He from pain may him e'er keep, 
Thou head of Diarmad O'Cairbre. 

Thou head. 



The author of this is Gormlay, daughter of Flann.' 

Melancholy earth upon the breast of Mai, 
Melancholy its depth upon his grave ; 
Neither nobility nor fame can save, 
Since that the King of the North is dead. 
Whose back is turned upon this joyful world, 
Now that his death- wound he received. 
He from the noble race of Malis traced, 
The men who proudly governed all this land. 
I, the gentle, kind, Mac Cuilenan,^ did leave, 
With Muireagan mor I also joyful lived. 
With Nial I spent a truly happy life ; 
Bright was my honour as with him I drunk, 
Of feasts and wine I could abundance have ; 
My gold I freely gave the church. 
If any there be who heaven reach. 
How could Mai be without heaven ? 
Never have I seen one like Mai 
Fair was he all except the knee. 
Great were his beauty and his fame, 
Soft were his locks, and grey his eye. 
Wrath grew upon the mighty deep, 
The wind in strength blew from the east,^ 
Nial then bent him on his knee, 

' Gormlay was the wife of Nial Glun- King-tishop of Munster and Cashel, to 

d\ibli, Nial of the Black Knee, who sue- whom M^Geoghagan says Gormlay was 

ceeded to the throne of Ireland in 916. first married. 
He was of the northern O'Neills, hence . 

called " Righ Tuaisgearta," or King of ^ Nial Glnndubh was killed in battle 

the North. by the Danes in 919, having reigned only 

2 The famous CormacM'Cuilenan, the three years. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 101 

Stronger it blew and without fail ; 
It suffered no happiness nor peace. 
The wind never ceased its sound, 
Neither fort nor tree was spared, 
Since that the courteous king is dead. 
Since Mai ^ Aidh's son died yesterday, 
N'umbers on numbers sorely mourn ; 
And though cups and horns are filled, 
Sore is the blow to Conn's great race. 
Without him prosperity is joyless, 
His form my heart with sorrow fills, 
That Tm till judgment left behind, 
Is that which fills my heart with grief. 

Melancholy. 

Gormlay, daughter of Flann.^ 

Monk, remove thy foot, 

Lift it off the grave of Mai. 

Too long dost thou heap the earth 

On him with whom I fain would lie ; 

Too long dost thou. Monk, there 

Heap the earth on noble Mai. 

Thou brown-haired friend, though gentle, 

Press not with thy sole the earth. 

Do not firmly close the grave, 

O Priest, whose office is so sad. 

Eaise off the fair, black-kneed ISTial, 

Monk, remove thy foot. 

Mac O'Mal of finest gold, 

'Tis not of my will thou'rt bound.^ 

1 Nial was son of Aidh Finliath, King yonthful qxieen. Mr. 0' Curry has kindly 

of Ireland, O'Flaherty mentions an elegy furnished the Editor with Irish copies of 

of Gormlay on her husband, as preserved these two elegiac pieces, which he is 

in the Annals of Donegal. about to publish in a second volume of 

^ This is another elegy of Gormlay, his admirable Lectures. 
Queen of Ireland, on her husband, Nial 

Glundubh. There is something extreme- ^ Eeferring, undoubtedly, to the mode 

]y mournful in these compositions of the of laying out the dead. 



102 THE BOOK OF 

Leave his stone and liis grave, 
Monk, remove tliy foot. 
I am Gormlay, wlio order keeps. 
Daughter I of Flann tlie bold ; 
Stand not thou upon his grave, 
Monk, remove thy foot. 

Monk. 



Wounded thou hast been, great man,i 

Whate'er the men were thou hast met ; 

Though thou art truly sad and sick, 

'Tis joy to us that thou'st got fame. 

Ten hundred ships from Greece of the Gael, 

While of them only three were noble, 

Thou didst attack with sharp-edged arms, 

Sore was the strife while life did last ; 

That people with their many spears ; 

They live not now who were so pure, 

Thy six nobles at last they slew. 

Many their bold deeds at thy side. 

That of thy wounds thou may'st be healed, 

I pray for thee, pray thou thyself. 

To Mary, the mother of the poor. 

My Pater and my Creed's for thee. 

Wounded. 



The author of this is Phelim M'Dougall.^ 

'Tis not good to travel on Sunday, Ij 

Whoever the Sabbath would keep ; 

1 The allusion in this fragment is not cannot say. These allusions belong, with- 

very clear. Celtic poetry is full of re- out doubt, to the period when both Scot- 

ference to Greece, Avhence a portion of land and Ireland Avere brought into con- 

the race are said to have come ; but Avhat tact with Greek literature, 

this battle with Greeks was, the Editor ^ y^Q \m\e here a curious specimen of 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. _ 103 

Not good to be of ill -famed race ; 

Not good is a dirty woman ; 

Not good to write without learning ; 

Not good are grapes wlien sonr ; 

Not good is an Earl without English ; 

Not good is a sailor, if old ; 

Not good is a bishop without warrant ; 

Not good is a blemish on an elder ; 

Not good a priest with but one eye ; 

Not good a parson, if a beggar ; 

Not good is a palace without play ; 

Not good is a handmaid if she's slow ; 

Not good is a lord without a dwelling ; 

Not good is a temple without a burying ground ; 

Not good is a woman without shame ; 

Not good is a harper without a string ; 

Not good is fighting without courage ; 

Not gcod is entering a port without a pilot : 

Not good is a maiden who backbites ; 

Not good is the poverty of a debtor ; 

Not good is a castle without an heir ; 

Not good is neglecting the household dogs ; 

Not good is disrespect to a father ; 

Not good is the talk of the drunken ; 

Not good is a knife without an edge ; 

Not good is injustice in judging ; 

Not good is the friendship of devils 

For thy son, oh Virgin most honoured ; 

Though he has saved the seed of Adam, 

Not good for himself was the cross. 

Not good is a reader without understanding ; 

Not good for a man to want a friend ; 

Not good is a poet without a subject ; 

Not good is a tower without a hall ; 

aphoristic poetry, the idea borrowed pro- the habits and modes of thought of the 
bably from the Proverbs of Solomon. age in which they were produced. 
These aphorisms throw some light upon 



104 THE BOOK OF 

N'ot good is a web without fulling ; 
ISTot good is sport without laughter ; 
Not good are misdeeds when prosperous ; 
;N"ot good is marriage without consent ; 
Not good is a crown without supremacy ; 
N"ot good is ploughing by night ; 
ISTot good is learning without courtesy ; 
'Not good is religion without knowledge. 

Not good. 



I 



I MYSELF, Eobert, went ^ 
Yesterday to a monastery, 
And I was not allowed in, 
Because my wife was not with ma 



I DISLIKE to journey for a year ;^ 

I dislike the table where a woman sits ; 

I dislike sorrow and sadness ; 

I dislike a great house without joy ; 

I dislike seeing a good man with a bad wife ; 

I dislike a frown upon a prince's face ; 

I dislike weak drink at a high price ; 

I dislike a noble without courtesy ; 

I dislike war when it is peace, 

When nothing is allowed to pass ; 

I dislike a rough and cruel chief ; 

I dislike the men who cannot fight ; 

1 These lines are given as indicative of 2 'WTe have here another specimen of 

the state of public feeling at the time aphoristic poetry. In the original the 

with respect to a great social question. lines are in rhyme. The author's name is 

The writer of these lines was manifestly not given, though it is probably Phelim 

no friend to monasteries, and no believer M 'Dougall. 
in their purity. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 105 

I dislike being long at a tune ; 
I dislike the men who grudge me food ; 
I dislike a jealous woman if unchaste ; 
I dislike the dog who cannot kill a stag ; 
I'm loath to go to Erin in the west, 
N"ow that Brian of the tunes is dead ; 
I dislike a widow who is not cheerful ; 
I dislike the man of melancholy mind ; 
I dislike an ilh favoured old woman, 
Whose tongue is sharp and rapid too ; 
I cannot tell to any man 
All the things that I dislike. 

I dislike. 



Earl Gerald.i 

Pity the man who overleaps his horse ; 

Let him that likes, my meaning understand, 

That from myself my means have taken flight; 

'Tis best to have nought to do \vith women. 

May my curse 'mongst women rest. 

Although for a time I mixed with them ; 

As for men who still are single, 

'Tis best to have nought to do with women. 

That man who early is on foot, 

Cannot but many evils find ; 

Were I to tell what I have seen, 

'Tis best to have nought to do with women. 

The man who has got a useless wife. 

Cannot do much before the foe, 

^ The following is the composition of has been thought that one specimen is 

Gerald Fitzgerald, the fourth Earl of sufficient. The Editor thought it desir- 

Desmond. He is known in Ireland as able to give one of those, Tvith a view to 

Earl Gerald, the poet. There are several a fair representation of the contents of 

of his compositions scattered over the the MS. , although there is not much in 

MS. ; bu.t as they are mostly of the same the composition itself to render it worthy 

character— satires on the female sex — it of being rescued from oblivion. 



106 THE BOOK OF 

The first milch cows that bellow loud ; 
'Tis best to have nought to do with women. 
The wife who listens to my speech, 
Who listens to my voice and cry, 
Just as if wax were in her ears ; 
'Tis best to have nought to do with women. 
Her husband she to wrath provokes, 
Different her manner with all else, 
For them she lightly steps about ; 
'Tis best to have nought to do with women. 
Were she to see a weeping eye, 
With any youth of handsome form. 
To him she would not run but leap ; 
'Tis best to have nought to do with women. 
Where is the young and sprightly maid, 
Who would not quietly give her kiss. 
To any lips that she might meet ? 
'Tis best to have nought to do with women. 
Though married from th' altar and the church, 
From the good priest's worthy hand. 
Still are her way and temper bad; 
'Tis best to have nought to do with women. 
'Tis best to have nought to do with women, 
Wrath and annoyance they provoke ; 
He who does not this proclaim 
Is sure to find a woe himself. 
Pity. 



The author of this is Andrew M'Intosh. 

The coquetry of Duncan from Taid's daughter. 
The most impudent coquetry men have seen, 
The coquetry of the wife of David, 
Coquetting like the wind in her red-tailed skirts, 
Men had thought that I was dumb, 
Whilst I'd three reasons not to speak. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE, 107 



The author of this is the Bard M'Intyre/ 

What is this ship on Loch Inch,^ 
Of which we now may speak ? 
What brought this ship on the loch, 
Which songs cannot o'erlook ? 
I would like much to ask, 
Who was it brought that ship, 
Afloat upon that angry loch, 
Where changes often come ? 
The fierce wind from the hills. 
And bitter storms from the glens. 
Oft has the vessel from the shore, 
Stolen upon the dangerous sea. 
Stranger, who sawest the ship, 
On the rough and angry stream, 
What should hinder thee to tell 
About her and about her crew ? 
An old ship without iron or stern, 
ISTever have we seen her like, 
The vessel all with leather patched, 
Not even beneath the waves is't tight. 
Her boards are trifling bits of deals. 
Black patches down along her sides. 
Useless nails to fix them on 
Upon her scanty, stinted ribs. 
What woman cargo is in the black ship 

^ Nothing is known of this poet. The satires on women, a kind of composition 

modern M'Intyre, the bard of Glennrchy, wonderfully popular, jxidging from our 

has a place second to none among the MS. at the period. We only give a few 

composers of Gaelic poetry ; hut it would specimens of these, hut there are several 

appear that there was an older poet of in the miscellany, and some of a charac- 

the name, and one not unknown to fame. ter which, in modern days, one wonders 

Four hundred years may produce no the Dean could have admitted to his 

little change in the place which not a collection, 
few men of note in our day hold in the 

temple of fame, and greater stars than ^ The only loch of this name with 

the bard M'Intyre may have their lustre Vv/hich the Editor is acquainted is Loch 

dimmed by time. He is another writer of Inch, on the Spey, in Badenoch. 



108 THE BOOK OF 

Pulling her on betwixt the waves, 
The cargo heartless and senseless too ? 
Widows of a foolish mind, 
A boasting, talkative crew, 
A load vexations and bad, 
Quarrelsome and covetous. 
Of evil minds and evil deeds. 
Their ways and conversation bad, 
A band of well-knoAvn fame, 
No substance in what they say, 
Drunken, singing, with levity, 
A band ill-shapen, mischievous. 
Who live by both sides of Loch Inch. 
In spite of thee and of their ship 
On the stormy sea's dun face, 
No good woman could take that shij^. 
However pressing the constraint. 
The worst of women go to sea, 
Others cannot give them help. 
Let this ship be driven from the loch, 
Down to the fierce and roaring deep. 
Let the wind pursue the ship. 
To the old point of Seananach. 
There will I leave upon the stream. 
The ill-favoured, ill- doing ship. 
Of wicked widows full on the sea, 
Without a psalm or creed e'er said. 

What. 



The fame of the house of Dunolly, little favour where they 

drive a herd.^ 
This brute is much like a dog, greedy aye for stolen flesh. 

1 These satirical lines on the family of Macdongalls of Lorn were a race as dis- 
Dunolly are given as a specimen of the tinguished for the antiquity of their de- 
strain indulged in at times by the bards, scent, as for the high character of many 
to gratify their animosity against hostile of the name, 
clans. It need hardly be added, that the 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



109 



The author of this is John M'Murrich.^ 



Sad to me's my fate, 
Though men don't understand, 
Suffer not, Son of God, 
Me to have pain to-day. 
Little thought the school 
That such should be my fate, 
The fate which me o'ertook, 
'Tis it has me destroyed. 
The pain in it I have, 
Is threefold what I've felt. 
The trouble I have found 
Is weighted with a stone. 
For her who caused niy grief. 
My wrath and rage are great. 
Her skin like froth of waves, 
Euddy and soft her hand. 
Her lips like berries red. 
My soul she gently seized. 
Since I stept last night. 
Sad indeed my state. 
I thought she was beside me, 
That I saw her smile. 
She 's not been since the day, 
When began my grief 
She of curhng locks, 
And colour richly red, 
rive jewels in a knot, 
In the maiden's name. 



1 This John M'Muirich, or M'Vurrich, 
was in all likelihood a member of the 
family who were so long bards to Cian- 
ranald, and who derived their name from 
their great ancestor in the thirteenth 
century, Mnireach Albanach. A list of 
the names of these bards is given for 



eight generations by Lachlan, who lived 
in 1800, in his declaration, as given in 
the Report of the Highland Society on 
Ossian, but it does not embrace this 
John. The piece is chiefly interesting 
from the historical references at the 
close. 



110 THE BOOK OF 

Pity slie 's not with me, 
And others have her not. 
That I myself might get 
For evermore that friend. 
Were I to suffer from, 
What other men have felt, 
The spear of great Ciichiillin, 
The horse of white-steed Teagne, 
The purple shield unbroken, 
Famous all in war ; 
The speed of Mac Erc's coursers. 
Though much it is to say, 
Alas, more sad for me 
The trouble I endure. 



Duncan MTherson.^ 

Alexander, hast thou left thy sadness, 

Or is it so that thou canst not ? 

Hast thou without God passed another year. 

Or dost thou mean to live thus ever ? 

Hast thou not found thy God, 

Now that thou'rt aged and grey ? 

If sadness be prosperity, 

Eich are the gifts thou'st got from God. 



a 



FouE men met at the grave,^ 
The grave of Alexander the great ; 
They spoke the words of truth, 

1 This writer was probably au eccle- poemsmadebyEonald McDonald, school- 
siastic, but nothing is known of him. master of Eigg, son of Alexander McDon- 
ald, the famous Skye bard. McDonald's 

2 This composition is one of the feAV edition was most likely taken down from 
of the more recent fragments in this MS. oral recitation, and it is remarkable how 
which appear elsewhere. We have a little it differs from this of the Dean's, 
copy of it in the collection of Gaelic 250 years before. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. Ill 

Over the hero of Greece the fair. 
The first man of them said, 
" There were yesterday with tlie king, 
The world's great hosts, sad the tale. 
Though to-day he lonely lies." 
" Yesterday the world's great king 
Proudly rode upon the earth ; 
But to-day it is the earth 
That rides upon the top of him." 
Then did the third wise speaker say, 
" Yesterday Philip's son owned the world ; 
But to-day he only owns 
Of it all not seven feet." 
" Alexander, brave and great. 
Who won and treasured gold and silver, 
To-day," the fourth man wisely said, 
" The gold it is that treasures him." 
The palm among trees was Philip's son. 
The moon among the lesser stars. 
As gold above the finest gems. 
As among fish leviathan. 
The lion amidst carrion, 
The eagle among other birds, 
As Sion hill amidst the hills. 
As Jordan amidst other streams. 
The polished gem 'mongst common stones. 
The sea amidst all lesser streams, 
Noble was the fearless man. 
The man above all other men. 
The man above all other men. 
Save heaven's great and holy King. 
King he was of herds and boars, 
Euler of hosts and heroes too. 
True was the talk these speakers had, 
As at the great king's grave they met. 
Unlike to women's empty talk. 
Were the sayings of the four. 
Four. 



112 



THE BOOK OF 



John M'Murrich said this. 

The men of Albin, and not they alone, 
Unless that M'Gregor survived, 
How much wrath would them destroy ! 
All excellence in Alexander.-^ 



Finlay, the red-haired bard, said this.^ 

Gael-like is every leap of the dun horse, 

A Gael she is in truth. 

It is she who conquers and wins, 

In all that I'll now sing. 

The praise of speed to her limbs, 

In every fierce assault. 

Marked, and famous her strength, 

Wliile quiet at the house of prayer. 

The birds are they who could, 

Strive with her in the race. 

Not false is the fame of that horse, 

The steed both sturdy and swift, 

Liker she was to Duseivlin,^ 

Than to the beast of Lamacha.'* 

They who would view her size and triumphs, 

Can nowhere find her match. 



^ Alexander was a family name of the 
Macgregors of Glenstrae. In the obituary 
contained in this MS. is the following 
entry : — 1526. Obitns Gregorii filii Jo- 
hannis McGregor, alias M'Evine M'Al- 
lester de Glenschray. This would indi- 
cate the period of Alexander as about 
the middle of the fifteenth century. 

2 This Finlay is the author of several 
pieces in this miscellany. He is appar- 
ently the Finlay M'Nab to whom another 
composition is attributed, and is called 
in one place "Am bard maith," The 



good poet. He seems to have been the 
family bard of McGregor, the praise of 
whose horse he here proclaims in most 
poetic strains. 

^ Duseivlin was one of the famous 
steeds of the Feinn. 

^ The beast of Lamacha, " Aidhre an 
Lamacha," is entirely unknown to the 
Editor. The animal is called " Beisd," 
a heast, in a subsequent part of the 
poem. It must have been some animal 
famous in the country for its ugliness. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 113 

Just like the wheeling of the mountain winds, 
Is the action of the prancing steed. 
Hundreds admire her paces, 
Like one in frenzy passing. 
Like the point of an arrow this horse, 
Famous are all her doings. 
Bands of the great witness her course, 
As with speed she rushes. 
Though far before her stands the groom, 
No blunderer is her rider. 
Few are the words would tell her praise, 
Like birds on wing her movements. 
Her triumphs and paces the same. 
Whether 'mong rocks or bogs she moves. 
Before that horse all men do fear. 
When she comes in the trappings of war. 
In the troop, the hunt, or the conflict. 
That horse a noble horse is. 
That horse is all fuU of spirit. 
As fameworthy she foUows the banner. 
That wave- like steed, hardy and keen. 
Will win for her rider the praise of men. 
^, Forth from her stall she takes the lead. 

That gentle, great, and active horse. 
She will triumph in speed and slaughter, 
Till that the day in evening sinks. 
Eeady to treasure the girdle of gold,^ 
The field with violence shakes. 
. Startling, rounded, bright, well shod, 
Gentle, broad-backed, coloured well. 
A horse of such great fame as this, 
I long had heard that they possessed. 
Where was ever found her match, 
Not he, the beast of Lamacha. 
Mac Gregor 's the master of that horse, 

1 The girdle of gold would seem to have been the prize conferred npon the 
victor in a race. 



114 THE BOOK OF 

Prince of the house to poets free. 
From Banva men do come to praise, 
To Albion they do come to seek, 
The man who robs from the Saxon, 
And e'er puts his trust in the Gael. 



Finlay the red-haired bard. 

I am a stranger long to success, 

'Tis time that I should have it. 

'Tis time now to desist, 

From satire justly due. 

The way that I shall take, 

To seek a noble branch, 

Is to the Prince of the Gael, 

Where are no worthless guests. 

To Mac Gregor the brave, 

Head of all the schools ; ^ 

He 's neither cruel nor sparing. 

To praise him is our duty. 

To whom courage is a right ; 

When summer time comes roimd. 

Peace he never knows, 

He's in the throat of all his fellows. 

When men of him do speak. 

As Gregor of the blows, 

' Tis his delight to drive. 

Flocks and herds before him. 

Of that flock John 's^ the head, 

1 The schools of the bards. Many ane. He was 1)11116(1 in Dysart (Gleu- 
Highland bards at this period were nrchy), north of the great altar, in a 
trained in Ireland, of which these poems stone cofiELn, upon the 26th of May 1519, 
bear evident marks, on which day there was a great moiirn- 

2 In his obituary the Dean enters at ing in Gleniirchy. The Elizabeth after- 
1519, May 24-26, death of John dnbh wards mentioned was probably the wife 
Mac Gregor of Glenstrae, at Stronmeloch- of this chief. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 115 

The king at lifting cattle, 
I myself will sing, 
Mouth with mouth at daybreak. 
When his sharp -armed men see, 
Mac Gregor at the Bealach/ 
His way so gently soft, 
'No weight to them their burdens. 
Then when war arises, 
Proclaimed in enemies' hearts, 
It is to him they'd gather, 
Clothed in martial dress. 
'T is of Mac Gregor's fame. 
When fighting 's left behind. 
To men not to be cruel, 
His castle full of mirth ; 
When victory I had left 
Upon the field of war, 
When of the fight I spoke, 
I^ought loved my patron more. 
Though sad, on the stormy lake. 
To tell men of my grief. 
To have a crew of mariners. 
Is best in battle's day. 
Eemember I'll be with thee, 
Mac Gregor without stain, 
In face of any foe. 
Long, long 's the time. 
Gentle Elizabeth, 
Change thou my state ; 
Woman of softest locks. 
And of the loftiest brow. 
I am. 

1 " Bealacli," the modern " Tay- about 1490, wlien it passed by Eoyal 
mouth," was, with the territory around, charter into the possession of the Knights 
in possession of the McGregors down to of Glenurchy. 



116 THE BOOK OF 



The author of this is Duncan MacCailein, the good knight.^ 

Who is now chief of the beggars, 

Since the famous man is dead ? 

Tears flow fast for the man, 

For beggary has lost its strength. 

The orphan is in a piteous case, 

Beggary 's gone since Lachlan's death. 

In every homestead this is sad, 

'That beggary should want for knowledge. 

If he be dead, I Ve never heard. 

Of one that could compare with Lachlan, 

Since God created man at first; 

It is a source of bitter grief, 

That without mother or a father, 

Poor beggary should be so weak. 

Since that Bretin's son is dead, 

Why should I not mourn his loss ? 

There is no man now on earth 

Who can beg as he could do. 

Since Lachlan the importunate 's dead, 

Great 's the grief that is in Erin. 

Who will now beg a httle purse ? 

Who will even beg a needle ? 

Who will beg a worthless coin ? 

Since that rough-palmed Lachlan's dead. 

Who will beg a pair of brogues, 

And then will beg a pair of buckles ? 

Who will beg a shoulder plaid ? 

Whose begging now will give us sport ? 

1 This poet is generally supposed, by are remarkable for caustic humour, in- 
those who have seen the Dean's MS., to dulged in in several cases at the ex- 
have been Sir Duncan Campbell of Glen- pense of the female sex. He almost^ 
urchy, one of the most distinguished of uniformly receives the title of *'An Ridim 
the ancestors of the present noble family maith," The good Knight. The present 
of Breadalbane. There are several pieces piece is a strange satirical elegy on a 
in the MS. attributed to him. These miser. 



I 



THE DEAN OF LISMOKE. 117 

Who will beg soles for his shoes ? 

Who will ask a peacock's feather ? 

Who will beg an eye for his belt ? 

Who will mix in any mischief ? 

Who will beg an old felt hat ? 

Who will beg a book to read ? 

Who will beg an early meal ? 

Who is it wears arms with his dress ? 

Who will beg for boots and spurs ? 

Who is it will beg for bristles ? 

Who will beg for sids and meal ? 

Who will beg a sheaf of rye ? 

Who will ask a sporran spoon ? 

Who will gather without shame ? 

Since Lachlan the hero is dead. 

Who will now afford us sport ? 

Who will beg for maidens' shifts, 

Since old shoe'd Lachlan is dead ? 

Sad the fate that he should die. 

Who will ask men for a rullion ? 

Who will steal the servant's feather, 

And who is it can't tell the truth ? 

Who likes to travel in a boat. 

And likes his old friends to visit ? 

Who will beg the hen with her eggs ? 

Who will beg a brood of chickens ? 

Who will ask the hen's overplus. 

After a handful of money ? 

Who will beg a headless pin ? 

Who can read as he can do ? 

That Lachlan should leave no heir. 

Is that which mournful makes his death. 

Who will beg for a hook and line ? 

Who will seek for open doors ? 

Who will beg for unboiled rennet ? 

Who will beg for anything ? 

Who won't give a penny to the poor> 



118 THE BOOK OF 

And yet e'en from the naked begs ? 

Who would oppress the very child. 

And is cruel to the infant ? 

Who would beg for wool and butter, 

That they may have it, after Lachlan ? 

Who would beg a woman's collar ? 

Who is it likes a dirty heap ? 

Who would beg from young women, 

Trom little dogs and weasels ? 

Who would take the fire from an infant ? 

Who would steal e'en the dead ? 

Who is sick when he is well ? 

Who on his gruel begs for butter ? 

More sad for me than this man's death. 

Is that he has left no heir. 

For fear that beggary should die, 

And none be found to keep it up. 

Do not ye forget the man. 

Men of the earth, do ye, 

Each of you for himself make rhymes, 

My malison on him that won't. 

If Lachlan died on Monday last, 

Every man will joyful be. 

Sad it is that for his death, 

'None there is who will lament. 

Who is now. 



Gormlay, daughter of Flann, the good wife. 

Alas ! alas ! my own great pain, 
Alas ! that I 've my beauty lost, 
To-night sore is my wound. 
Since that Mac O'Neill is dead. 
Alas ! to want the son of Dervail, 
Alas ! my fate now left behind, 



p 



I 



THE DEAN OF LTSMORE. 119 

Guaire's hospitality is nought, 
Erin 's a desert without him. 
Alas ! for the good king of Banva, 
How fair thy form down to this night, 
Since he, my life, in battle died, 
Nought will I say but alas ! alas ! 

Alas ! 



The author of this is Duncan M'Cabe.^ 

M'Dougall of bright armour, 

A noble chief's thy famous son, 

All that I think is true 

Of thy fair-formed, prudent child. 

'T were better that thy fair head 

Were now exposed than mine, kind friend. 

Duncan Carrach^ is his name, 

A name that triumphed ever. 

Duncan of bravest deeds, 

Eemember thy first honoured name ; 

Son of Allan,^ do not merit, 

Eeproach thy race did ne'er deserve. 

Since now that thou art so well known, 

With every reason to esteem thee, 

To thee is given the foremost place, 

Since thou the favourite art of all. 

1 We know notMng of this poet. The ''Carrach" means a scald head, from 
name is a rare one, although still exist- which he seems to have got his name in 
ing in the Highlands, He would appear childhood. The poet refers to his head 
to have been a family bard of the Mac- as now more smooth than his own. 
dougalls of Dunolly. ^ j^ lines' Orig. Par. vol. ii. part 1, 

2 In the Dean's chronicle of deaths, p. 115, it is said, on the authority of 
contained in this MS., is the following the Acts of Council, that, in 1478, Colin 
entry in Latin : — 1512, Jul. 13. The death Earl of Ergile was sued by Alane Sorle- 
of Duncan M'Dougall, who was slain a.d, sone M'Cowle for warrandice of the lands 
1512, who was the son and heir of Alex- of Lereage and Wouchtrouch, etc. This 
ander M'Dougall of Dunolly ; and Dun- is probably the Alan referred to by the 
can was buried in Ardchattan 13th J^^]y. bard. 



120 THE BOOK OF 

True it is thou art indeed 
The man to take the richest spoil. 
Like a bull that 's fierce for fight, 
'Tis thus thou goest to make war. 
'Tis thou who traversest Cruachan/ 
Casting thy spear beneath its knolls. 
Thy fame is as that of the leopard, 
Thou art Duncan of Durinis. 
Thou quellest quick thy foe, 
Thou stainest both hands with blood. 
Thou cheerest us when we are weary, 
Thou art the source of all our joy. 
He is the man whom 'tis easiest 
In song like mine to praise, 
Which among heroes I compose, — . 
The generous dragon of Connal.^ 
Other fame belongs to him. 
The art that is in his gun. 
The bravery and skill of Erin 
Bound firmly up in all his blows. 
Whatever skill a king's son has, 
That he has, with no defect. 
The purest speech has come to him. 
This will in thy son be found. 
]^ow I see thee raise the tax. 
Truly out of every homestead, 
Noble king of bravest deeds. 
Descendant of that martial race. 
Macdougall. 

i " Ben Cruaclian," the highest rnoiin- at the mouth of Loch Etive, where the 

tain in Lorn, the ancient territory of the stream at times becomes a salt-water 

clan Dongall. cascade. The name " Connal," " Con- 

^ Connal Ferry, the remarkable narrow thnil," means a roaring stream. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



121 



The author of this is John M'Ewen M'EacharnJ 

A mournful cry amongst Conn's ^ race, 

Heavy indeed is now their loss ; 

As every one now follows John, 

Silent they can't be at his grave. 

What grief did ever them o'ertake, 

The race of Conn ne'er honour lost. 

For John each man does weep, 

Necessity leads us to his grave ; 

Sad is the land because of thy death, 

Son of the noble race from Allan. 

Great is our grief as thee we mourn. 

Few are the men that shed not tears. 

Sorely has it touched us all, 

Grievous the tale that John is dead. 

Tidings from the Dun went through the land, 

The stranger now does o'er us rule. 

Changeful the world down till John's death, 

Now they rise not to the fray ; 

Since then indeed thy race is sad, 

This grief now has them sorely wounded. 

'Tis grief to them that thou art thus, 

Clan Dougall mourn for their great chief ; 

The conflict of their grief is long, 

The tale which now is told is grievous ; 

Thou messenger who brought the news, 

God made thee messenger of evil ; 



' We have no written or traditional 
account of this poet. He was manifestly 
one of the bards of the clan Dougall. 
The difficulty of deciphering the Dean's 
writing is in this case increased by the 
peculiar measure of the composition, 
which is one of those well known to Irish 
scholars, and where the accentuation is 
in accordance with the Irish mode. 
The Editor does not pretend to have de- 



ciphered every line with perfect accuracy, 
but he is pretty well assured of having 
caught the meaning of the poet through- 
out. 

2 The clan Dougall, as well as the 
cognate clan Donald, were held by the 
bards to have descended from "Conn 
Ceud chatha," Conn of the hundred 
battles, King of Ireland. 



122 THE BOOK OF 

Ere men tliy tidings did recite, 
Pity they had not lost their ears. 
The abundance of my racking grief 
Has almost my eyesight ta'en away ; 
No feeble mourning is 't for John, 
Tears for him I cannot shed ; 
Mourning for our buried prince, 
The death of Macdougall of DunoUy. 
His was the form of Conn's great race, 
Like a nut kernel, fair and rounded ; 
His death has been a grievous breach, 
The very waves sing his lament. 
Above the beach,^ since John has died, 
No ceasing is there of men's sorrow ; 
Men speak not even now of joy. 
Since that this grief has on them seized \ 
Bitter sorrow has them filled, 
No word of sport, of music none ; 
That way is called the sacred way. 
That from the beach leads to the grave. 
So do men thus mourn their loss. 
And women too, who loved thee well. 
Shall I from thy soft locks have honour ? 
In place of it I have but ruin. 
I mourn as on thy grave I stand. 
All I see makes me lament ; 
Women will not leave thy grave. 
So truly heavy is their sorrow, 
Eaise up a tomb for our fair prince, 
Let it be wide as Cruachan's cell. 
That men may see by what they do. 
How heavily on them weighs their grief. 
The clan with weeping do thee mourn. 
Their soul is sad, they cannot sleep. 
Dougall's race before thy death, 

1 The Macdougalls of Dunolly buried at the old Priory of Ardchattau, on the 
banks of Loch Etive. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 123 

I^ever did fear the face of foe. 
Chieftain, thy death has come on them, 
'T would be no boast to rule them now. 
Not few the women at John's grave, 
Pouring their tears from day to day ; 
Of women bands even by night. 
With bare heads gathering on the plain ; 
E'o wonder is 't that they should mourn, 
Because of John of brightest fame. 
'No day can pass but hearts are full 
Of this sad tale, that wakes our mourning. 
I care not though 't be thus with them. 
Though they should feel what 1 don't like ; 
Thy death for us is ill to bear. 
Sore the state to which it brings us ; 
I stand amidst the gloom of death, 
No word is there of wonted song ; 
My heart is truly rent in twain, 
As we speak of his departure ; 
Neyei were we thus before. 
That it is grief to ask, how fares he ; 
'Tis cause of sorrow that he is absent, 
I mourn that he is no more with us ; 
I^ow that he sleeps in his cold grave, 
'Tis melancholy what men feel to tell ; 
They cannot cease from shedding tears, 
Castle and cottage both in sorrow ; 
The rising tide has swept o'er hills, 
So for John do mourn his comrades ; 
Yet there 's no heaving of the sea, 
Not of the boisterous sea at Connal ; ^ 
For thou art mourned, great chief of Conn, 
In all the borders of clan Dougall ; 
The land for thee does seem to weep. 
Loud is the cry, with much distress. 
From the musicians of Dougall's race, 

1 Connal Ferry, on Loch Etive. 



124 THE BOOK OF 

The learned men, and leading bards. 

On John's grave lies a heavy stone, 

'Tis grief to me to tell the story ; 

Far otherwise than ISTeil^ would wish, 

Does every scandal now appear ; 

Have they no care to see his grave, 

Since that John has overcome them ? 

The race of Conn are now but few. 

Since death has ta'en away Macdougall ; 

N"o pleasure in the violin's sounds, 

Nor writing poetry without him ; 

Poetry brings no honour now. 

Since death has seized the son of Mary ; 

Few are the mouths that now can tell, 

How commanding is her privilege, 

Now that on their backs are laid. 

Both the heads of the clan Dougall ; 

That John's great power I do not find 

Soon after losing John his father ; 

May God preserve thy noble nature, 

Who wisdom learned from thy Isla^ teacher ; 

Horses can't insure a triumph, 

Men must leave them, and depart ; 

After the three, our loss is great. 

My heart, in truth, can find no comfort ; 

Mournful in youth to see such loss. 

Death has seized two Johns and Alexander ; '^ 

1 There is considerable obscurity about was educated, or it may refer to the 
these lines. It would serve to elucidate weapons of war for which Isla was 
the meaning if we knew of any feud be- famous. 

tween this chief and the clan Neil, or 3 Alexander was Laird of Dunolly in 

any person of the name of Neil belong- 1493; Greg. High. p. 83. His son Duncan 

ing to any other Highland clan. The Carrach was slain young ; Dean's Obit. 

Editor has not been able to find any in- G-reg. Ed. In Innes' Orig. Par. vol. ii. 

formation on this subject. pt. i. p. 114, we find that, in 1451, Stew- 

2 The original here is indistinct. The art Lord of Lorn granted to John M 'Alan 
word " noid illeich," made " an oide of Lorn, called M'Cowle, and to John 
Ilich," may be " nord Illeich," or " an Keir (" ciar," dark), his eldest son and 
uird Ilich, The Isla order, meaning some heir, etc., twenty-nine marklands of the 
ecclesiastical order in Isla, by whom he island of Caruvray, etc. These are pro- 



THE DEAN OF LTSMOKE. 125 

Alexander, whom no restraint could bind, 

That I of him should also tell ; 

Thy breast was stout to the rushing wave, 

Thy body now ! alas my sorrow ; 

Never do ye seek again 

That John's young heir should go to battle ; 

That he should stand 'midst battle's storm, 

Lest soon he come to his long grave. 



The author of this is Finlay M'Nab. 

The sluggard's Book of Poems,-^ 
If 't were your wish to write in it, 
Among what they have left you '11 find 
Enough wherewith to fill it. 
Though many the men there be. 
Who cruelly the people oppress, 
Never will these be found, 
Honoured in famous songs. 
Of all the fruits of sluggards, 
Though there be of them a thousand. 
The hoifSe in which these do meet, 
They ne'er can by any means reach. 
They are both gentle and simple, 
Dressed in their Sunday coats ; 
And yet of all their productions. 
It happens we never can hear. 
I won't their genealogy tell, 
Of their history nothing I know, 

bably the two Johns and Alexander of nan strangair," for the Dean seems to 

our bard. This holding of the Stewarts have been a most industrious compiler, 

may explain the bard's reference to the This piece of M'Nab's is a satire on lazy 

rule of the stranger. composers or compilers. It is valuable 

as showing that the ancient bards wrote 

^ The word " duanaire," here used in their compositions. The number of such 

the original, means " a miscellany of books must have been large, although 

poetical compositions." The Dean's MS. during the course of centuries tliey seem 

is a " duanaire," but not a " duanaire to have perished with few exceptions. 



I 



126 - THE BOOK OF 

But that they are out at evening, 
rollowed close by their hounds. 
Dugall, thou art their fellow, 
John's son of the polished blade, 
In whom flows the sluggard's blood, 
Write thou in the Book of Poems. 
Write knowingly, intelligently. 
Write their history and their life ; 
Don't bring a poem on the earth, 
To have it read by Mac Cailein. 
Eemember this my claim on thee, 
Gregor, as thou hast heard 
That I have as an obligation. 
All thine to put in the Book of Poems. 
Let there be nothing in this poem 
Of priests or of tenantry ; 
But nothing of this band there is. 
Which is not in the Book of Poems. 

The sluggard's. 



The author of this is Eafric M'Corqudale/ 

Jewel,^ who has roused my grief, 
Beloved hast thou been of me, 
Beloved that joyous, generous heart. 
Which thou hadst until this night. 
Thy death has filled me with grief. 
The hand round which I lived so long, 
That I hear not of its strength, 
And that I saw it not depart ; 
That joyful mouth of softest sounds, 
Well was it known in every land. 



1 This poetess seems to liave been the ^ The word '^paidrein," derived from 

•wife of the last M'Neil of Castle Sween. " Paidir," The Lord's Prayer, really 

The name M'Corqiidale is common in means a rosary. 
Kintyre. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 127 

Lion of Mull, with its white towers, 
Hawk of Isla, with its smooth plains, 
Shrewdest of all the men we knew, 
Whom guest ne'er left without a gift. 
Prince of good men, gentle, kind, 
Whose mien was that of a king's son, 
Guests came to thee from Dunanoir,^ 
- Guests from the Boyne^ for lordly gifts. 
Truth it is they often came, 
Not oftener than gave thee joy. 
Shapely falcon of Sliabh Gael,^ 
Protection to the bards thou gav'st, 
Dragon of Lewis of sandy slopes. 
Glad as the whisper of a stream ; 
The loss of but a single man 
Has left me lonely, now he 's gone. 
'No sport, no pleasing song, 
No joy, nor pleasure in the feast ; 
No man whom I can now love, 
Of Nial's race down from Mai bg ;* 
Among our women there 's no joy. 
Our men no pleasure have in sport, 
Just like the winds when it is calm. 
So without music is Dun Sween.^ 
See the palace of a generous race, 
Vengeance is taken on clan Neil, 
The cause of many a boastful song. 
And will till they lay us in the grave ; 

1 Dunanoir was a castle on the island conferred on Colin Earl of Argyle. Be- 
of Cape Clear, on the south-west coast tween these two periods M'Neil would 
of Ireland. See Miscell. of Celt. Soc. p. appear to have died, leaving no heir in 
143. the direct line. 

2 The river Boyne. From Dunanoir to ^ Castle Sween is an ancient strong- 
the Boyne included all Ireland. hold at the mouth of Loch Sween in 

2 SliabhGhaidheael, a rangeof hillsin Knapdale, said to take its name from 

Kintyre. Sween of Argyle, who flourished in the 

* In Innes' Orig. Par. vol. ii. pt. i. p. thirteenth century ; but the Irish an- 

41, we find that Hector M'Torquil Mac nalists make mention of it at a much 

Neil was constable of Castle Sween in earlier period. It was probably a strong- 

1472. In 1481 the ofiice and lands were hold of the Dalriadic monarchs. 



128 THE BOOK OF 

And now 'tis hard to bear, alas ! 
That we should lose on every side. 
Didst thon, son of Adam, crush 
Any cluster of three nuts, 
It is to him thou lovest most 
The largest third of them thou 'dst give. 
Thus of their husk the topmost nut, - 
Does to clan Neil, ungrudged, belong. 
The bountiful have often poured 
Their gifts on the dwelling of clan Neil. 
The prince, who w^as the last of all. 
Is he who me with gloom has filled. 
In half my purpose I have failed. 
Jewel, w^ho has roused my grief. 
Broken my heart is in my breast, 
And so 't wdll be mitil I die ; 
Left by that black and noble eyelid, 
Jewel, who hast roused my grief. 
Mary, mother, foster-mother of the king, 
Protect thou me from every shaft ; 
And thou, her Son, who all things mad'st. 
Jewel, who hast roused my grief. 

Jewel. 



The author of this is DougaU Mac Gille glas/ 

Bold as a prince is John^ in each gathering, 
'T were long to sing his race's glory ; 
Of this there is no doubt 'mong men. 
That he is the first of the race of kings. 
Mac Gregor of the bravest deeds. 



^ This poet was probably a M'Gregor. the subject of this laudatory ode. He is 
. 2 In the Dean's Obits, as already called grandson of Malcolm. According- 
quoted, we find that, in 1519, died John ly, we find among the Dean's Obits, that 
Dow MTatrick McGregor of Glenstray, Malcolm McGregor, son and heir to John 
at Stronmelochan. He was apparently M 'Gregor of Glenstray, died in 1498. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 129 

Is tlie boldest chief in any land ; 
Between his gold and Saxons' spoil, 
.Well may he live in ease and peace. 
Choice for courage of the Grecian Gael, 
Whose meed of praise shall ne'er decay. 
Abounding in charity and love, 
Known in the lands of the race of kings.^ 
White-toothed falcon of the three glens,^ 
With whom we read the bravest deeds, 
The boldest arm 'midst fight of clans, 
Best of the chiefs from the race of kings. 
When on Mac Phadrick of ruddy cheeks. 
Wrath in battle's hour awaked. 
The men who with him share the fight 
Are never safe amidst its blows. 
Grandson to Malcom of bright eyes. 
Whom none could leave but felt their loss, 
The generous, gentle, shapely youth. 
The readiest hand when aught's to do. 
The race of Gregor stand round John, 
Not as a weak one is their blow; 
The famous race without a fault. 
Round him like a fence they stand. 
Clan Gregor who show no fear, 
Even when with the king they strive, 
Though brave Gael may be the foe, 
That they count of little weight. 
Gael or Saxon are the same. 
To these brave men of kingly race. 
Sons of Gregor bold in fight. 
Bend not before the fiercest foe. 
Prince^ of the host of generous men, 

^ The original is " slioclid an row," or ^ " Brainean," the word here traiis- 

'' an rudha." It is translated as if the lated prince, is the ancient Gaelic form 

word Vv-ere " righe," kings ; but the Edi- of the Welsh " Brenhin," a king. The 

tor is in doubt if this be the word meant. word is now obsolete in the High- 

2 The McGregor's glens were Glennr- lands, 
chay, Glendochart, and Glenlyon. 



130 THE BOOK OF 

To Gregor of golden bridles, heir, 

Pity tlie men wliom you may spoil, 

Worse for tliem wlio you pursue. 

Chief of Glen Lyon of the blades. 

Shield and benefactor of the Church, 

His arm like Oscar's in the fight, 

To whom in all things he is like. 

Kindness mantles on his red cheek, 

Thy praise he justly wins, ungrudged ; 

Benevolence when to men he shows, 

Horses and gold he freely gives. 

Mac Gregor of the noble race, 

No wonder though bards should fill thy court ; 

To his white breast there is no match, 

But he so famous 'mong the Feinn. 

Three fair watches him surround, 

Never as captives were his men ; 

His arm in battle's struggle strong, 

Well did he love to hunt the deer. 

In mien and manners he was like 

The king who ruled amongst the Feinn. 

Mac Gregor of the spoils, his fortune such 

That choicest men do covet it. 

Good and gentle is his blue eye. 

He 's like Mac Cumhail of liberal horn, 

Like when giving us his gold, 

Like when bestowing gifts on bards. 

Like in wooing or in hunt. 

To the Cu Caird^ a.mong the Feinn. 

Fortune attends the race of kings, 

Their fame and wisdom both are great. 

Their bounty, prudence, charity, 

Are knit to them, the race of kings, 

^ " Cu ceaird," The artificer's dog, is artificer to King Cormac ; whereupon he 

an old name for Cuchullin. It is said undertook to watch himself, and hence 

in Ireland to have originated in Cuchul- obtained the name of Cullin's dog, or 

lin having killed the watch-dog of Cullin, Cuchullin, also " Cu ceaird." 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 131 

Wine and wax and honey, 
These, with the stag-hunt, their delight. 
Famous the actions of John's clan, 
Like to the sons of the Fenian king ; 
John himself was like to Finn, 
First and chief 'mongst all his men. 
Though many sought to have Finn's power, 
'Mongst those who fought against the Feinn, 
On Patrick's son fortune attends, 
His enemies he has overcome. 
Mac Gregor who destroys is he. 
Bountiful friend of Church and bards. 
Of handsome form, of women loved, 
He of Glenstray of generous men. 
Easy 't is to speak of John, 
His praise to raise loud in the song, 
Giving his horses and his gold. 
Just as a king should freely give. 
King of Heaven, Mary virgin, 
Keep me as I should be kept ; 
To the great city fearless me bring 
Where dwells the Father of the king. 

Bold. 



FoND^ are men of being high-born, 
Whatever their wealth may be ; 
Great scorn of the illegitimate, 
Who seek to approach the king. 
Hear me, though ye may mock. 
Ye race of commons and gentles. 
The number of famous chiefs. 



1 This is a curious fragment, and is of donilmaich, Servus Domini, was appar- 
interest from the references in it to the ently the illegitimate son of some man 
Highland clans. The writer, who to- of note, and was in all likelihood a Mac- 
wards the close gives his name as Maol- lean. 



132 THE BOOK OF 

Who go to make up my fame. 

I'm of the blood of clan Dougal, 

A race of unquestioned right ; 

But brave and bold though they be, 

'T is not of them I've my all. 

My kinsman is Mac Chailein, 

AVho freely gives gold to the bards ; 

Why should I be sorrowful, 

My native place is in Earla.-^ 

My native place is in Earla, 

Clan Donald lie off to the west ; 

My dwelling is with clan Grillean, 

The men who in battle can fight. 

Mac Phee of Colonsay, 

No stranger is he to my race, 

And Mac Mel of Barray, 

Of pure and gentle descent. 

Mac Nee I also remember, 

And also the powerful Mac Sween, 

Clan Leod and clan Eanald, 

Chiefs from whom I descend. 

Cattanachs and Mac Intoshes, 

They too are among my friends ; 

The Camerons and clan Gregor, 

The men from Breadalbane who come. 

Stewarts, though widely they be 

Scattered throughout the whole earth. 

Old, certain, swift-footed the tale. 

That of them was my father's grandmother. 

In Balquhidder and Breadalbane, 

My friends are numerous found ; 

Kindly men in bringing aid, 

These are my kindred true. 

Clan Lauchlan and clan Lamond, 

Clan Neil, who learn feats of war ; 

1 There is, between Tobermory and maps Arile. This Avas probably the re- 
Aros in Mull, a place marked in the sidence of onr bard. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE, 133 

Friends of mine are clan Tavish, 

'Midst their green hills and their braes. 

These little vigorous men, 

Who dwell in the straths of the land, 

I visit M'Dongal of Craignish, 

I've a friend besides in Mac Ivor. 

Gillean who has come from Mull, 

Woman from the race of mariners, 

Never did compass the earth. 

The man whom she did not attract. 

Faithful and steadfast friend, 

Chief who was kind to Maol Donich, 

In the liking which this man has, 

No man more favour could get. 

Fond. 



The author of this is the Baron Ewen M'Omie/ 

Long do I feel my lying here. 

My health to me is a stranger ; 

Fain would I pay my health's full price, 

Were mine the numerous spoils. 

A spoil of white-haired, heavy cows, 

A spoil of cows for drink or feasting, 

I'd give besides the heavy bull, 

If for my cure I had the price. 

The herds and flocks of Mannanan,^ 

The sword and horn of Mac Cumhail, 

The trumpet of Manallan^ I'd give, 

^ The Editor has not been able to the Isle of Man takes its name, as well 

identify the author of this poetical com- as the district in Scotland called Sla- 

plaint. During the existence of baronies, mannan. 
with their bailies or local judges, the 

number of barons or baron bailies in the s The Editor has not been able to ob- 

Highlands must have been large. Of this tain any account of this person. There 

class was most likely our poet. is a contraction over the second a in the 

2 An ancient Celtic hero, from Avhoni MS., which makes the reading doubtful. 



134 



THE BOOK OF 



And the quiver of Cucluillin, 
Ir, Evir, and Eireamon/ 
And were I to possess them, 
The harp of Curcheoil/ which hid men's grief, 
The shield of the King of Golnor.^ 
Lomond's^ ship of greatest fame, 
Had I it upon the strand, 
All I've seen I'd freely give, 
Ere as noAv I'd long remain. 
Long to me appears the coming 
Of Alexander Mac Intosh, 
That my disease he might drive away, 
And thus I might no longer lie. 

Long. 



No Author.^ 

For the race of Gael, from the land of Greece 

There is no place where they can rest ; 

Doubtless thou would' st much prefer 

To raise the Gaelic race on high. 

ITow that thou risest 'gainst the Saxon, 

Let not thy rising be a soft one ; 

Have your swords with sharpened blades. 



' The three sons of Milidh of Spain, 
from whom the Milesian races are de- 
scended, according to Celtic story. 

2 The Editor can give no account of 
these names. The traditions respecting 
them seem to have perished. 

3 A famous Celtic hero, from whom 
Ben Lomond and Loch Lomond are said 
to derive their names. 

^ There is a portion of the beginning 
of this ode wanting, and we have no 
means of knowing who the poet was. 
A reference to the history of the time, 
and the names introduced into the 
poem, however, suggest very emphati- 



cally the occasion of it. It is addressed 
to Archibald, Earl of Argyle, Chancellor 
of Scotland, who was killed at the 
battle of Flodden in 1513. The Saxons 
assailed so virulently by the poet are, 
in all likelihood, not the Lowland Scotch 
but the English, and the poem is pro- 
bably a " Brosnachadh catha," or incite- 
ment to the rising of the Scotch, and 
particularly the Argyle men, previous 
to the disastrous battle of Flodden. 
This invests the fragment with peculiar 
historical interest. There seems not to 
be much of the poem wanting, probably 
only a fe"\\' lines. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 135 

Let your spears stand by your sides, 

Let us not forsake our country, 

Let us fiercely, bravely fight. 

It is said by the Gael of Banva,^ 

Our fathers did the tale repeat, 

And I have heard there was a time, 

Long ago, that Innis Aingin^ 

Was ruled by the Fomorian^ race, 

Who raised from it a heavy tax. 

Thus for a while the Saxons have 

Our country burdened heavily ; 

And now each clan is full of fear. 

And we are plunged in grievous doubt. 

But now that a gathering 's begun. 

There 's need that chiefs should rouse them up ; 

For with them, 'tis my opinion. 

We will share a common fate. 

Who is the man, whom we can tell. 

Will from the Saxon save the Gael ? 

Who in our day has won much fame, 

And whose house is truly noble ? 

Know a man, were he but willing, 

Of whom we readily might tell, 

His power in Banva widely known, 

Men all bound with him to gather. 

Archibald of the pointed head, 

Of thee it is that men now speak. 

Earl of Argyle,^ I thee beseech, 

Be a,s a hero in the conflict ; 

^ Ireland. said to be derived from " fo nihuir," 

2 There was an Innis Aingin, an island unier the sea, and is supposed to indi- 
in the Shannon, famous as being the cate their coming from the low sea coasts 
place to which St. Ciaran retired to spend of Holland or Denmark. 

the latter part of his life. It is here * Archibald, Earl of Argyle, Chancel- 

apparently taken to represent a portion lor of Scotland, who was killed at Flod- 

of Ireland. See Mr. O'Curry's Lect. p. den in 1513. He is called larla " Oirthir 

58. Grhaidheal," The sea-coast of the Gael, 

3 An early race of pirates, said to have Avhich would seem to be the true etymo- 
infested the Irish coasts. The word is logy of "Argyle." 



136 THE BOOK OF 

A hero who shall reign supreme 
O'er Gael from the famous land ; 
ISToble, high-born prince of the Gael, 
Thou It in apportioned Albin reign. 
Hero, who '11 desert no fight, 
With sword, so long as right remains, 
Who for the Gael from Greece, subjection 
Ne'er suffer would at Saxon's hand. 
The very roots from whence they grow, 
Pluck them that thou may'st us deliver ; 
Suffer not a Saxon hence to live, 
After that thou overcom'st them. 
Burn all their women, ugly in form ; 
Burn their children, every one ; 
Burn their black huts, burn them all ; 
And crush their enmity to us. 
Drown their warriors in their streams, 
Wlien their accoutrements are burnt. 
Cease not, while a Saxon lives, 
To drown them weakened in their streams. 
Eemember thou, of ruddy cheeks. 
The claims we on the Saxon have ; 
Oppression and beggary all thy days. 
When that their oppression throve. 
Eemember thy own father Colin ; ^ 
Eemember Archibald,^ father to him; 
Eemember Duncan,^ the prosperous. 
He who was liberal and friendly ; 
Eemember thou that other Colin ; * 
Eemember Archibald^ as well ; 



' Colin, second Earl of Argyle, and called " Dunchadli an aigh," or Z>ima«4 

Chancellor of Scotland, who married of good fortune. 

W 0? Lom''''^ ^^^^^^^^ °^ ^^^^^^^' " ^"' ^"^^^ °^ ^^gy^^^ ^^^^^^ " ^^^^^^^ 

°^'sir AiXbald, first Earl of Argyle, i^^S^^^^ach," xooncUrful CoUn, and also 

„ TT ■, f. ^-iT • -r. 11 ., ^ tv/,, " Cailean maith, good Colin. 

called "Gillespiiig Ruadh, ' Archibald ' "^ 

the red. s gi^ Archibald of Argyle, called 

3 Sir Duncan of Argyle, commonly " GrillQ^^Yiwig mbv" A rchibcdd the great. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 187 

Eemember Colin ^ first of all, 
He who was brave amongst the Gael. 
Eemember that they never gave 
Their tax from terror of the Saxon ; 
Much more it now belongs to thee 
To see that thon bear'st not this tax. 
Now that there is but thy sire's blood, 
Of Gael from the famous land, 
Let the men together come. 
Let them fill with fear their foes. 
Let them attack the Saxon now, 
Wake thee up then, son of Colin, 
Golden-haired one, war is begun, 
'T is not good to sleep too much. 

Great. 



The author of this is Duncan Mac Dougall Maoil.^ 

The history of the secret origin of John Mac Patrick,^ 

Why should I conceal it ? 

What belongs to his race is not feeble. 

The bearing of that race we love. 

Seldom of a feeble race it is. 

Among the Gael of purest fame. 

That inquiry of their origin is made, 

By the men who read in books. 

Firm the belief to them and me. 

During the evening time so dark, 

1 Sir Colin of Argyle, called " Cailean ^ This author is one of the writers of 

6g," young Colin, son of Neil, son of the MS., and a Macgregor. By referring 

Colin, called '' Cailean mor," from whom to the genealogy at p. 143 of the MS., 

the family take the patronymic of " Mac we find him designating himself as Dun- 

Chailein mhoir," The son of great Colin. chadli daoroglach, Mac Dhughaill, Mhic 

Cailean mor was also called " Cailean na Eoin riabbaich — Duncan the appren- 

Sreang," from a mountain between Loch tice, son of Dougall, son of John the 

Awe and Lorn, where he was killed in a grizzled. 

feud with the Macdougalls. (MS. Gen. ^ John dow MTatrick M'Gregor of 

not. of fam. of Argyle, pen. Ed.) Glenstrae, who died in 1526. 



138 THE BOOK OF 

That in the blood of noble kings 
" Were the rights of true clan Glregor. 
NoAv that I 'm by thy green dwelling, 
Listen, John, to thy family story : 
A root of the very root we are, 
Of famous kings of noble story. 
Know that Patrick was thy father, 
Malcom father was to Patrick. 
Son of black John, not black his breast, 
Him who feasts and chariots owned. 
Another John was black John's father, 
Son of Gregor, son of John the lucky. 
Three they were of liberal heart. 
Three beneficent to the Church. 
The father to that learned John, 
Was Malcom, who his vv^ealth ne'er hid, 
Son of Duncan, surly and small, 
Whose standard never took reproach. 
His father was another Duncan, 
Son of Gillelan of the ambush, 
Noble he was, giving to friends. 
Son of the famous Hugh from Urquhay. 
Kennan^ of the pointed spear. 
Of Hugh from Urquhay was the father. 
From Alpin,^ of stately mien and fierce. 
Mighty king of weighty blows. 
This is the fourth account that 's given 
Of thee, who art the heir of Patrick. 
Eemember well thy back-bone line, 
Down from Alpin, heir of Dougal. 
Twenty and one, besides thyself, 

1 This is manifestly a mistake for 2 Alpin, King of the Scots, who liou- 

Kenneth. The person meant is Kenneth rished in the beginning of the ninth 

M^Alpin, King of ScotlaDd. In the ge- century. Several of the links in the Mac- 

nealogy given in p. 144 of the MS., this gregor genealogy must be wanting in 

Kennan is said to have been high King of this poem. Even the name of Gregor, 

■Scotland, to distinguish him from lesser from whom the clan is called, does not 

chiefs, whom the Celts called kings. appear at all. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 139 

John the black, not black in heart. 

Thy genealogy leads us truly 

To the prosperous Fergus M'Erc. 

Of thy race, which wastes not like froth, 

Six generations wore the crown. 

Forty kings there were and three. 

Their blood and origin are known. : 

Three there were north and three to the south,^ 

After the time of Malcom Kenmore. 

Ten of the race did wear the crown. 

From the time of Malcom up to Alpin. 

From Alpin upwards we do find 

Fourteen kings till we reach Fergus. 

Such is thy genealogy 

To Fergus,^ son of Ere the prosperous. 

How many are there of thy race. 

Must have been from thee to Fergus ! 

Noble the races mix with thy blood, 

Such as now we cannot number. 

The schools^ would weary with our tale, 

Numbering the kings from whom thou 'rt sprung. 

The blood of Arthur* is in thy bosom, 

Precious is that which fills thy veins ; 

The blood of Cuan, the blood of Conn,^ 

Two wise men, glory of the race. 

The blood of Grant in thy apple-red cheek, 

The blood of Neil, the fierce and mighty. 

Fierce and gentle, at all times. 

Is the story of the royal race. 

The history. 

^ Both sides of Loch Tay, the ancient most of the composers were undoubt- 

Macgregor territory, are still called edly trained there. Poetry and genealogy 

"Tuaruith" and "Deasruith," northand were the chief branches studied. 
south sides. ^ , .^ x^ • ^ j_i o,x j.i i i -r. • 

2 First king of the Dalriadic Scots. , Ar.hur, Kmg of the StrathclydeBn. 



tons, from whom the Campbells also are 
said to be descended. 



3 The schools of the bards which 
abounded in Scotland and Ireland at 
this period, chiefly in Ireland, as may ^ " Conn ceud catha,'* Conn of the 

be discovered from this collection, for hundred battles, King of Ireland. 



140 THE BOOK OF 



The author of this is Mac Eachag/ 

Displeased am I with the south wind, 

Which hinders the coming of John,^ 

And that he is kept away out, 

On his way from the north to M'Leod. 

Janet's son, of whitest sails, 

Well would he like to cross the sea ; 

But the south wind will not listen 

To John, William's son of swift steeds. 

By night or by day as I sleep. 

From the beach I see to the north, 

The rushing bark of whitest sails, 

The bark of him who stays defeat. 

This is the fame which every man 

Awards to M'William from Clar Sgith,^ 

An ardent, white -toothed, ready youth. 

One who for aught he did ne'er mourned. 

This is the eighth day without John, 

Heir to M'Leod of bluest eye ; 

Like he is in mien and strength 

To the great house of liberal heart. 

Cheerful he is, does nought conceal, 

Such is the fame of sharp-armed John. 

In battle's day he takes the lead, 

Ever ready fame to win. 

William's son, my foster child. 

Son to Janet, royal her race, 

Did I but hear thou cam'st from the north, 

All my gloom would disappear. 

1 Tills name is very Indistinct in tlie as to Jolin, if a son of tills William Mac- 
MS., and cannot be given with cer- leod. But William's fatlier was John, 
tainty. whose father was also in all likelihood a 

2 In 1480, William Macleod of Dun- William ; and this John, whose floreat 
vegan was killed at the battle of the was early in the fifteenth century, might 
Bloody Bay, and was succeeded by his be the person here meant. 

son Alexander, usually called " Alastair ^ The old name for Skye, and throws 

Crotach," or hump-backed (Greg. High. some doubt on the derivation of the 
p. 74). The charters give no information name " Sgiathauach," usiially accepted. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 141 



The author of this is Mac Gillindak/ the man of songs. 

Lords have precedence of chiefs, 

It has been so from the beginning ; 

It is commendable in young men, 

That each should have knowledge of this. 

The first who was lord of this land 

Was Duncan beg (little) of the great soul, 

He who as a legacy has left 

Their bravery to clan Gregor. 

Duncan, great by many spoils. 

Was the blessed father of Malcom ; 

Grandfather he was to princely John, 

Him who never broke his pledge. 

Gregor, excellent son of Duncan, 

Was son to John, and was his heir ; 

Famous man he was of the country, 

From the bright shore of Loch Tullich," 

Swarthy John, so pure in speech, 

Princely son of John M'Gregor, 

Hunter of the well-formed deer. 

He hke a king aye led the fight. 

Malcom of unbending truth. 

Know thou John, succeeds his father. 

Southwards in fair Glenurchay, 

Handsome he was amongst its valleys. 

The first place 'mong their ancestors 

Is given by the Saxon to clan Gregor, 

Of whom were three chiefs loved the hunt. 

And were most active in the fight. 

In the days of Conn of hundred battles, 

I heard of something like this, 

^ We have no tradition respecting tins ^ Elsewhere translated Loch Tmninell. 

poet. But he must have been a bard of "Tolve"is the word in the original, 

the McGregors'. The allusion to the Loch Tnllich lies at the head of Glen- 

Feinn will be understood by referring to nrcliay. 
the war-sonof of Gaul. 



142 THE BOOK OF 

Of Finn of spears and sharp sword, 
Cumliars son of famous deeds : 
That of Erin the hunting and lordship 
Belonged to Mac Cumhal of long locks, 
Patrimony and lordship he had n't 
Over the lands of the race of Gaul. 
Forest right they had all his life, 
From Kerry north to Carn Yalair. 
But he possessed the old rights 
Wliich previously were his. 
From Hallo^mias on to Beltin, 
His Feinn had all the rights. 
The hunting without molestation, 
Was theirs in all the forests. 
Many the tributes I cannot tell, 
Belonged to Finn and his men. 
Tribute in Erin possessed 
By Mac Cumhail from the forests. 
A noble's forest right to the Feinn, 
On the banks of every stream. 
But Malcom's laroje tributes 
Did not belong to Mac Muirn ;^ 
Finn himseK would never hunt 
Without first asking leave. 
The hunting of Scotland, without leave. 
Belongs, with its spoil, to Malcom. 
Constant in the hunt together 
Are M'G-regor and his fierce men ; 
No oftener did the blood-red hounds 
Enter the fort of clan Boisgne. 
A fighting band of chieftains 
Arose with him in battle's day, 
Men whose dress sparkled wdth gold, 
Men who conquered in the fight. 
The head of clans and of huntsmen 

1 This is iisiially the name of Gaul, but here it is Finn, whose mother' 
was Muirn. 



I 



I 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 143 

Is the common fame of his race. 

No trial of bravery or skill 

Will show weakness in M'Gregor. 

Many in his halls are found together, 

Men who carried well- sharped swords, 

Eed gold glittered on their hilts, 

The arms of the lion of Loch Awe. 

Harmonious music among harps. 

Men with dice-boxes in their hands. 

Those who leave the game of tables, 

Go and lead forth the hounds. 

Mac Gregor of red-pointed palms, 

Son of Dervail, the Saxon's terror, 

No hand like his amidst the fight. 

He 't is that ever victory won. 

Liberal he ever was to bards. 

Gifts which Mac Lamond-*- knows to earn. 

Famous for managing his hounds, 

A hand so ready with its gifts. 

Mary, who stands by his side. 

Of noble mind and handsome form, 

Poets unite to give her praise, 

Her with cheeks as berries red. 

Lords. 



The author of this is Finlay, the red-haired bard."^ 

The one demon of the Gael is dead, 
A tale 't is well to remember. 
Fierce ravager of Church and cross. 
The bald-head, heavy, worthless boar. 
First of all from hell he came, 

^ Probably the cliief bard of the Mac- we know that the Macnabs counted them- 

Gregors. selves of the same lineage with the Mac- 

^ It has been suggested to the Editor gregors. There is much in the composi- 

that this poet might have been the chief tion given here, however, to indicate his 

of the Macnabs, the chief of this period being an ecclesiastic, 
being Finlay Macna!) of Boquhan ; and 



144 THE BOOK OF 

The tale 's an easy one to tell, 

Armed with the devil's venomous spear. 

But he was surely, firmly bound, 

Ere quitting the black house of hell, 

To the same stronghold to return, 

And leave the Star of Paradise. 

Then, when came the black-skinned boar, 

Many the devils in his train. 

Each of them with horrid sound, 

Their voices all in one loud strain. 

Lest that he should nothing have. 

It was apportioned by Mac Euarie,^ 

As a covenant firmly fixed. 

That in hell he 'd live a dog. 

Eighteous and just is now the claim 

Which Allan has against the devils. 

Whatever share may be their own. 

He, I think, should have much glory. 

'T is time to cease now from that band, 

Of horrid sounds, and cruel heart. 

Mac Euarie from the ocean far. 

Wealth thou 'st got without an effort. 

'T is a report we can't neglect, 

For with Columba I must meet, 

'T is a report that fills the land, 

Bald-head Allan, thou so faithless. 

That thou hast, not thine only crime, 

Eavaged I^ and Eelig^ Oran. 

Fiercely didst thou then destroy 

Priests' vestments and vessels for the mass. 



1 We learn from Greg. High. pp. 65, receiving a large share of the booty taken 
66, that Allan MacRuari, great-grandson on the occasion. The poet describes 
of Eanald, and chief of clan Ranald, was him as a sacrilegious marauder, 
one of the principal supporters of Angus, ^ rpj^g ecclesiastical establishment at 
the young Lord of the Isles, at the battle lona. The Reformers had probably less 
of the Bloody Bay ; and that he also fol- to do with the destruction of the build- 
lowed Alexander of Lochalsh in his in- ings in lona than is generallj'' thought, 
vasion of Ross and Cromarty in 1491, ^ The church of St. Oran in lona. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 145 

Thou art Inche Gall's-^ great curse, 

Her revenue and stronghold spoil'st ; 

Thou art the man whose heart is worst 

Of all who followed have thy chief, 

Save one who stands at his left hand, 

And he, Mac Euarie, is thy brother. 

Now thy fight we never hear, 

But from the cross we hear thee cursed ; 

The two are good who are about thee, 

Black indeed they are in form. 

At the time thou first mad'st war, 

There was the Abbot's horrid corpse, 

Besides that other lawless raid 

Against Finan^ in Glengarry. 

Thine own cruel, hateful deeds, 

Have cursed thy bald-head body, Allan, 

Just as crime will always do, 

Eevenge itself on who commits it. 

The country side, with its protest, 

Has stamped mad rage on Allan's face. 

Thine own country and thy friends. 

Thou hast cruelly oppressed. 

The last of thy goodness was lost 

Between the Shell and the Hourn. 

'T is no wonder thou didst keep 

Far away, Allan, from the gallows. 

The fame which men had given thee, 

Extends to thy mother and thy sister. 

Time it is to cease from satire. 

Worthless, cruel son of Euarie. 

Though learning which helps not manners. 

The sound of thy wailing is pleasant. 

The one demon. 



1 The Hebrides were known as "Innse- ^ The church of Kilfinan, at the east 

g^W," or the islands of the strangers, ^xo- end of Loch Lochy, where is still the 

bably since the rise of the kingdom of bnrying-place of the M'Donells of Glen- 

the Norsemen there. garry. 



146 THE BOOK OF 



The son has been found like liis father,^ 

Above all chiefs whom we have known, 

His bearing, countenance, and mind, 

And with me he dwells in Lewis. 

The knowledge and mind of a chief, 

With which he '11 make prosperous times. 

I say of this young son we 've got, 

That he is just another Eoderick ;2 

How like each other are their locks. 

His father's honour to his ringlets. 

In battle, too, how like the praise 

Of Torquil^ and his famous father. 

Of all that in Torquil's time may come, 

None of his friends shall suffer loss, 

Great deeds and victories will be. 

Such as Mac Caiman'* may relate. 

Many his gifts which we might praise, 

Torquil of the famous race ; 

His are a hero's strength and vigour. 

Which he brings into the fight. 

I say of him, and say in truth. 

Since I have come so well to know him, 

That never was there of his age 

Better king who ruled in Lewis. 

To him belonged the " Cairge mhordha," ^ 

The richest jewel sailed the sea. 

Given it was to Mac Yic Torquil, 

With which to reach his people's land. 

' There is no author's name given for killed in the battle of the Bloody Bay. 

this spirited eulogy. The author was Torquil was forfeited for harbouring 

probably a family bard of the Siol Tor- Donald dubh, son of Angus Og of Islay. 

cuil, or M'Leods of Lewis. (Greg. High. p. 73.) 

2 Eoderick M'Leod of Lewis was head * Probably the chief bard of the Siol 
of the Siol Torcuil, or sons of Torquil, Torcuil. 

in 1493. (Greg, High. p. 73.) ^ " Cairbhe" is a ship. This was pro- 

3 Torquil was second son of Eoderick bably the name of Torqail's galley, al- 
M'Leod of Lewis, the eldest having been though spelled " cairge " by the Dean. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 147 

Mac Euarie of cheerful music, 

Had also the old cleaving sword, 

Another jewel of sure effect, 

'T was given him by the King of Aineach/ 

Since he so many presents had, 

'T was needless for him to go and seek. 

A shield he had cleft in the head. 

Another jewel, sounding loud. 

Without he had a noble herd 

Of horses, with their trappings red ; 

'T would n't suit a man like him 

ISTot to have many swift-paced steeds. 

His was the Du Seivlin, 

M'Leod's, whom the bards would sing. 

'T was hard for those to take that horse, 

Whoe'er they were that might him seek. 

Torquil had many youths 

Who never trembled in battle, 

Who for his race seized on all lands, 

A race that aye the conflict loved. 

Not braver of his age was CuchuUin, 

ISTot hardier was he than Torquil, 

Him of the ready, vigorous arm. 

Who boldly breaks through any breach. 

Beloved though Mac Yic Torquil is, 

I can't enough his beauty praise ; 

He who is fair as he is the brave, 

The key to every woman's heart. 

There is no son of king or chief 

Of whose fame we 've ever heard, 

Though we 've had much to do with such, 

That better are to us than Torquil. 

Catherine,^ daughter of Mac Cailen, 

Whose soft hand 's worthy of thy race, 

' " Aineach," a castle of the O'Kanes, ^ Qatliarine, daughter of Colin, 2d 

within a few miles of Derry. The King Earl of Argyle, who married Torquil 
of Aineach was chief of the O'Kanes. Macleod of the Lewis. 



148 THE BOOK OF 

Daugliter of tlie Earl of Argyle, 
Best of the women we have found. 
To onr isle we Ve got a woman, 
Branch of a great and famous tree. 
Daughter of Mac Cailen, young and gentle, 
Whose locks in flowing ringlets fall. 

The soil. 



The author of this is Gilliecalum Mac an ollave.^ 

The cause of my sorrow is come, 

This year has not prospered with me ; 

Foolish who cannot understand 

How my grief has on me come ; 

He who cannot understand 

How my grief has come at once ; 

Since these wounds my body got, 

Such wounds I Ve got I mourn. 

Pleasant now, though bitter too, 

To mourn my sad distress ; 

Sorrow fills my inmost heart, 

Great was my love for him who 's gone ; 

My heart is broken in twain, 

'No wonder it should be so ; 

My body has neither flesh nor blood. 

Like a strengthless sufferer. 

'T is no wonder if I so grieve 

For Margaret's^ son who now is gone, 

Eemembering all his vhtues. 

And that chiefless we are left. 



* It lias been said in a previous note Beaton in 1411. There were several 

that nothing is knoA^^l of this poet. Bnt the family whose name was G-illiecal- 

the present composition would indicate lum. " Mac an Olaimh " means son 

his being one of the celebrated Beatons, the physician. 

physicians and sennachies to the Lords ^ Margaret Li^-ingstone, daughter of 

of the Isles. There is a charter of lands Sir Alexander Livingstone, married to 

in Islay, wiitteu in Gaelic by Fergns Alexander Lord of the Isles. 



1 of I 
ical- I 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 149 

Sore is the loss that he is gone, 
N"ow that in the world we 're weak, 
My grief now that thy days are ended, 
Is the injury done by Angus. -^ 
Though it be hard for me to part 
With John's^ son of sweetest speech, 
What is worst of all is this. 
That ne'er to his place he'll return. 
Though I were from happiness far, 
Pursued by my foes' reproach, 
Whatever good might me o'ertake. 
From them never would I buy. 
'No wonder though heavy my heart, 
As another lord 's seen in thy place. 
That my whole man should be feeble, 
ISTow that my king is dead. 
Bitter is my pain since he left, 
'T is easy the tale to relate, 
'T is hard my great sorrow to bear, 
For the hero so famous who 's gone. 
Great is my grief, and no wonder, 
My mourning is true, sincere ; 
That which sorely has me pained, 
Is that in Albin we 've no race.^ 
N"ow since that I must leave. 
As others with reproach me load, 
Since he is dead, I fain would go, 
Away from the rough isles of Albin. 
Yet 't is sore for me to leave. 
Although I feel that go I must, 
IsTow that my beloved is dead. 
My country I must leave behind. 



1 Angus Og, sou of Johu last Lord of 3 Both Johu aud Angus, sons of the 
the Isles, who fought the battle of the last Lord of the Isles, died before their 
Bloody Bay against his father. father. He was forfeited, and died in a 

2 John, sou of Alexander Lord of the monastery in Paisley. 
Isles. 



150 THE BOOK OF 

Last of all, what grieves me is, 

And truly tlie cause is enough, 

That my beloved will not return, 

To Islay on this side of Innis.-^ 

And then, besides, it is so sad. 

That this during his time should come, 

Wringing hearts, and bodies rending, 

Without revenge being in our power. 

No men on earth could think 

How ready he was foes to crush, 

'T was nothing both for us and thee 

That champions should come against us. 

But thy foes now have pierced thee. 

Pity we had not with thee died, 

Fair-handed, sweet-voiced son of Maiy, 

That we should have none to help. 

He of the fairest countenance, 

Our loss is not to follow him. 

All the fame thou didst enjoy. 

Was such as to thy race belonged. 

They who had the long curled locks. 

Whose company men loved much. 

Now their hearts are sore depressed, 

Every comfort poor without thee. 

'T would be hard to find one like me. 

And that from my lord I had, 

The fellowship of priests and poets ; 

These are plenty, but his hand absent. 

When others to the banquet go. 

Of the honour my share is this. 

Ever to mourn in grief unchanged, 

And of sorrow drink my fill. 

'T is sad for me I do not follow, 

Much his absence do we grieve ; 

1 This word is spelled " Eitlinis," and decide whicli it means ; probably " luis " 
"Einis," and "Enis." It is translated in Ulster, where the Lords of the Isles 
Angus and Tunis. But it is difficnlt to had extensive possessions. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 151 

And then o'er that which makes me mourn, 

Many the other men who weep. 

Many the men before our time, 

Who by sorrow were brought low ; 

And what I Ve said does find its proof, 

In a tale I Ve told before. 

" I Ve heard a tale of old," etc.^ 

As follows in another place. 

The fellow of this noble man, 

Foster- son of Caoimh and Conull. 



Blind Arthur Mac Gurkich.' 

The assembled fleet at Castle Sween, 

Pleasant tidings in Innisfail, 

Of all the riders of the waves, 

A finer ship no man e'er owned. 

Tall men did manage the ship. 

Men, I think, to urge their way ; 

]^o hand without a champion, 

A slashing, vigorous, noble band. 

With coats of black all were supplied, 

In this bark, noble their race. 

Bands with their brown, broad belts, 

Danes and nobles were they all. 

Chieftains with ivory and gold, 

The crew on board this brown-sailed ship. 



i See above, p. 50, other in the Dean's MS. "Broin" is an 
2 Who this blind poet was the Editor ancient word for a troop or hand, and 
cannot say. He can find no notice of him " death," ^^comhlan," ''nos," are words 
anywhere, nor of the attaclc on Castle for a warrior ; but these words are en- 
Sween, which he describes. He was an tirely obsolete ; so " glantair," as the 
Irish bard, and composes in the Irish comparison of "glan," is unknown in 
dialect, making use, like the later Irish the modern language. There is a mani- 
poets, of language much more difficult to fest attempt in the composition to use 
understand than the older composers. obsolete words ; but the Editor trusts 
The Editor encountered more difficulty the meaning has been correctly ren- 
in reading this piece, than in reading any dered. 



152 THE BOOK OF 

Eacli witli a sheaf of warriors* spears, 

Shields on their hooks hung round the sides. 

Wide-spread wings, speckled sails, 

Bearing purple, all of gems ; 

A long, handsome, gentle band, 

Stood along the stout-made spars. 

The blue sea at the swift ship's prow. 

The ship laden when the tide is full ; 

Wattled baskets full of swords. 

With shields all brought on board the bark. 

Fair women, too, were in the ship, 

Modest, their beds were placed on high. 

Spotted cusliions were provided, 

Couches for the nobles' wives. 

Spotted coverings of fine linen, 

This was the covering of the ship ; 

Handsome, easy, as she rocked. 

Purple linen round each mast. 

No hardened hands, no tightened belt, 

Nor roughened by their usual toil ; 

Heroes were there, nor did they labour. 

Bands of men of sweetest lips. 

We heard not of so many nobles, 

Of our isle from labour free ; 

From Erin princely champions, 

A troop with soft and ruddy hair. 

Not ship of all did she count swifter, 

None has there been nor will be. 

No sigh, no sorrow, and no grief. 

Nor is there any end of all. 

No ship of ships she counted swift, 

Full of princely men she is, 

Scattering gold among the bards, 

Wiiile round the ship resounds the sea. 

Many the men of sword and spear, 

Many men quick in fight to mix ; 

Down by the sea the fighting men, 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 153 

Above, the gentle women were. 

Who is he provides this fleet, 

At Castle Sween-^ of many hills ? 

A vigorons man who fears no blast, 

His masts upraised, seeking his right. 

John M'Sween,^ sail thou the ship. 

On the ocean's fierce-topped back ; 

Eaise aloft the vessel's masts, 

Let thy bark now test the sea. 

A leading wind then for them rose. 

At Kyle Aca^ as rose the tide ; 

The speckled sails were roundly bellied, 

As John ran swiftly for the land. 

We entered the cheerful anchorage 

In the bay of fruitful Knapdale ;* 

The noble hero, lordly, shapely, 

Comely, masted, swift, victorious. 

He was then near Albin's walls. 

Helpful, welcoming his men. 

Fair was then the youthful hero, 

Abundant dew distilling round, 

Favourable at Slieve Mun's'^ streams, 

To Mac Sween, him of Slieve Mis. 

Speakers then come near to ask, 

They deal as with him of sharpest eye. 

Branches are laid beneath their knees, 

To welcome those of valour great. 

Their safety in each harbour nook 

Suffers from the welcome they give John. 

The men of Albin's isles then come 



1 We can find no trace in our history ^ This cannot be Kyle Akin in Skye, 
of this attack by the Irish Mac Sweenys but is probably the ancient name of the 
on Castle Sween. The event cannot be of entrance to Loch Sween. 

a very ancient date, as the Mac Sweenys ■* Knapdale, on the west coast of Ar- 

are not a very ancient tribe in Ulster. gyle, south of Crinan. 

^ Not known to the Editor, but is pro- 

2 One of the Mac Sweens or Mac bably on tlie Knapdale side of Loch 
Sweenys of Slieve Mis in Antrim. Sween. 



154 THE BOOK OF 

Witli welcome from the narrow sea. 

The men who sweetest are that sing, 

Tenfold welcomes to him bring. 

For a while there was a conflict, 

Between them and onr men of song ; 

They come at last to know full well, 

How fair the hill from whence came John. 

Then did we fight at Castle Sween, 

Just as a slender, furious hawk, 

We set us down around that rock, 

Every limb endowed with strength. 

We pierced the bodies of our foes, 

Just as a serpent fiercely wounds ; 

Our thin-bladed, well-edged swords, 

The foreigners' bodies fiercely hacked. 

We raised the cry of great Mac Sween, 

Amidst the rolling of the sea ; 

True it is that roll won't help. 

Broad-backed, long although it be. 

Their javelins have no power to pierce 

The shields which our brown coats protect. 

Rathlin of the sharp rocks, hears 

The music of our ringing swords. 

The thin-bladed sword, in Europe best, 

A spear that swift obeys the wish. 

What shield on earth can it resist ? 

Fierce and fearless Erin's sons. 

John Mac Sween of stratagems, 

With his thin, powerful, cutting sword. 

He whose shield is spotted brown, 

A blind man found him brave and wise. 

The assembled fleet. 



I 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



155 



Isabella M vie Cailein.^ 

Pity whose complaint is love, 
Wliate'er my reason thus to speak, 
'T is hard to separate from its object, 
Sad's the condition I am in. 
The love which I in secret gave, 
Of which I 'd better never speak. 
Unless I quickly get relief, 
Withered and thin I '11 soon become. 
The man whom I have so loved, 
A love I never must confess ; 
Has me put in lasting bonds. 
For me a hundred times 't is pity. 

Pity. 



The author of this is Duncan Og." 

Seven arrows me assail. 
Each of the arrows does me wound ; 
Between me and my God they come, 
Such of my body is the desire. 
The first one of these is Pride, 
Which wounds me under my belt, 



' This lady is elsewhere called '' Con- 
Ergadien," the Countess of Ar gyle. 
From the name given her here, she would 
appear to be a daughter of the Earl of 
Argyle, but she might as coimtess be 
styled Ni vie Cailein, or the daughter 
of Colin. We know that Sir Colin 
Campbell of G-lenurchy, was uncle and 
tutor to Archibald, first Earl of Argyle, 
and that having himself married Mar- 
garet, eldest daughter of Stuart last Lord 
of Lorn, he arranged a marriage between 
his nepheAV and Isabella, the second 



daughter, who became Countess of Ar- 
gyle. She was most likely the authoress 
of these lines, but we have no key to the 
piece of domestic history to Avhicli they 
refer. 

2 There is a Duncan Og Albanach 
among the writers of religious poetry in 
the MS., who was most likely one of the 
Mac Vurrichs, and the author of these 
lines. It is hardly necessary to say that 
the poet refers in this composition to 
the seven mortal sins of the Roman 
Catholic Church. 



156 THE BOOK OF 

Often of a triiimpli it has me spoiled, 

Whicli otherwise I miglit obtain. 

The second arrow is Lust, 

To whose power I 'm such a slave ; 

Since this shaft trait 'rously has me pierced, 

I cannot live beyond its reach. 

The third of these arrows is one 

Which pierces 'midst my very joints ; 

Laziness, which suffers not 

That I the right way e'er should chuse. 

The fourth arrow is Covetousness, 

God, 't is mournful where it wounds ; 

Deliverance I can never have 

From this load of earth upon my back. 

The fifth of these shafts is Gluttony, 

Wliich has brought me much reproach ; 

Besides that it pains my self-respect. 

From it my body is not free. 

The sixth sore arrow of them all 

Is Anger, which me from men divides ; 

May Mary stay them when they 're shot, 

Otherwise I have no help. 

The seventh shaft does pierce the eye, 

Envy, which grudges others' good ; 

A shaft which, however we may feel, 

Is one which never does us good. 

When these in his hand the enemy takes. 

Many they are by 's arms destroyed ; 

He never shoots but what he strikes, 

And never strikes but what he kills. 

Son of God, I 'H place a pater. 

And the apostles' creed as well. 

Between me and these wounding arms. 

With five psalms, or six or seven. 

Seven. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



157 



The author is Murdoch Albanach/ 

'T is time for me to go to the house of Paradise, 

While this wound 's not easily borne, 

Let me win this house, famous, faultless. 

While others can tell of us nought else. 

Confess thyseK now to the priest, 

Eemember clearly all thy sins ; 

Carry not to the house of the spotless King, 

Aught that may thee expose to charge. 

Conceal not any of thy sins, 

However hateful its evil to tell ; 

Confess what has been done in secret. 

Lest thou expose thyself to wrath. 

Make thy peace now with the clergy, 

That thou may'st be safe as to thy state ; 

Give up thy sin, deeply repent, 

Lest its guilt be found in thee. 

Woe to him forsook the Great King's house, 

For love of sin, sad is the deed ; 

The sin a man commits in secret. 

Much is the debt his sin incurs. 

This is a sermon for Adam's race, 

I think I 've nothing said that 's false, 

Though men may death for a time avoid, 

'T is true they can't at length escape. 



^ Murdoch of Scotland was the first of 
the great race of Macviirrichs, bards to 
Macdonald of Clanranald. From all that 
can be gathered regarding him, he was 
an ecclesiastic, and, according to the 
measure of light he possessed, a man of 
earnest and sincere religion. It was not 
known, until this voliune of Dean M'^Gre- 
gor's was searched, that any remains of 
his compositions existed ; but here we 
find several, all very much of the same 
character. There is one long poem to 



the cross, which appears to have been 
modelled on the early Latin hymns. 
Murdoch of Scotland, or Muireadhach 
Albanacl], would appear to have lived 
between a.d. 1180 and 1220. Mr. Stand- 
ish H. 0' Grady, late President of the 
Ossianic Society of Dublin, kindly sent 
to the writer some years ago a poem, 
still preserved in Ireland, containing a 
dialogue between Muireadhach and ' ' Ca- 
thal Crodhearg," the red-handed Cathal 
O'Connor, King of Conuaught, on the 



158 



THE BOOK OF 



Thou wlio hast purchased Adam's race, 
Their blood, their body, aud their heart, 
The things we cherish may'st thou assail 
However we may them pursue. 

'T is time. 



The above Murdoch. 

That there should be in God's Son's heart 
A sinner like me, how great the tale, 



occasion of their embracing a religious life. Catlial's ''floruit" is known to I 
have been between a,d. 1184 and 1225. As the lines are curious, they are in- 
serted here. 



Cathal croibhdhearg agus Muireadhach 
Albanacli maraon iar n-dul anus na braith- 
ribh dhoibh, cecinerunt :— 
A Mhuireadliaigli, meil do sgian, go 'm bear- 
ram inn do 'n Aird-righ, 
Tabhram go mills ar mold, 'us ar dha. trillis 

do 'n Trianaid, 
Bearraidh mise do Mliuire, an bhreath so is 

breath 6r-chridhe, 
Do Mhuire bearr am barr so, a dlmine seang, 

sulmhal so. 
Anamh leat, a mliaca glilan, sglau tar do bharr 

do'd bhearradh, 
Fa mhionca rioglialn bhinu bhog, a cireadh a 

cinn thugad. 
Gacli re n'uair do foilethl dhuinn, us do 

Bhrlan ard bhairr chladh-ulr, 
'Us do fhoilclnn uair eile ri stuaidh fhoilt- 

fhinn Bhorolmhe. 
Do ghrinn comh-shnamh 'us Ua Chais, air 

linntibh fuara Forgliais, 
Air teacht air tir lels o'n linn, do ghrinn 'us 

Ua Chais colmhshling. 
An dha sgian so leath air leath, do rad dhuinn 

Dunchadh Cairbreach, 
Nior b'fhearr dlia sgian de sginibh; bearr gu 

min a Mhuireadhaich. 
Meil do chlaldheamh, a Chathail, chosnas am 

Banbha braonsgathaidh, 
Ni chuala gun fhachuin d'fhearg, a Chathail 

chuanna, chrodheirg, 
Dion air fhuachd 's air ainteas inn, a inghin 

uasail loachaim, 
Dean ar coimhead 's an tir theith, a ro gheag 

mhin, a Mhuire. 

A Mhuireadhaich. 



TRANSLATION. 
Cathal Crodhearg and Murdoch of Scotland, 
on entering among the brethren, sung :— 
Murdoch, whet thy knife, that we may shave 

our crowns to the Great King, 
Let us sweetly give our vow, a^cl the hair of 

both our heads to the Trinity. 
I will shave mine to Mary, this is the doing 

of a true heart, 
To Mary shave thou these locks, well-formed, 

soft-eyed man. 
Seldom hast thou had, handsome man, a knife 

on thy hair to sha\e it, 
Oftener has a sweet, soft queen, comb'd her 

hair beside thee. 
Whenever it was that we did bathe, with 

Brian of the well-curled locks, 
And once on a time that I did bathe, at the 

wall of the fair-haired Boroimhe, 
I strove in swimming with Ua Chais, on the 

cold waters of the Fergus. 
When he came ashore from the stream, Ua 

Chais and I strove in a race. 
These two knives, one to each, were given us 

by Duncan Cairbreach, 
No knives of knives were better, shave gently 

then, Murdoch. 
Whet your sword, Cathal, which wins the 

fertile Banva, 
Ne'er was thy wrath heard without fighting, 

brave, red-handed Cathal, 
Preserve our shaved heads from cold and from 

heat, gentle daughter of Joachim, 
Preserve us in the land of heat, softest branch, 

Mary. 

Murdoch. 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



159 



And that tliere should to me be given, 
On my lips to have the cross of Jesus Christ. 
Jesus Christ, sanctify as thou art wont, 
My two feet, and my two hands, 
Sanctify me of thy good will. 
Even my blood, and flesh, and bones. 
I never cease committing sin. 
Because that my body loves it well ; 
May consecration come from afar. 
Upon my head and on my heart. 
Glorious great One, save thou me 
From every grief which me has seized, 
Ere I 'm laid beneath the turf, 
May my way be plain and smooth. 

That. 



The author of this is Murdoch Albanach. 

Thou Trinity, do thou me teach. 

Thou Lord, whose praise all men must sing, 

Thou Trinity, come on my tongue, 

Bless it in thy judgment great. 

Holy Trinity in the heavens. 

Strengthen thou my spiritual arms ; 

Come to, and dwell in my heart, 

Thou head of all thy holy race. 

Guide thou my hand, and teach my heart. 

Teach my eye, thou King of truth ; 

Come to my voice, move on my tongue. 

Quicken my ear, and bless my lips. 

This is the mouth which ye have torn. 

Which checks men's conflicts, nought forgets ; 

This is the tongue that ne'er spared speech, 

Bless it. Beloved of my soul. 

Erom thee, Trinity, alas ! Trinity, 



160 THE BOOK OF 

Let healing come, speak thou to me ; 

There is, as in the white -wood oak. 

In me a sinful, corrupt heart. 

Though sinful, I never man destroyed, 

Ne'er did I steal, Son of God ; 

Never did my hand slay man. 

For Mary's love, answer thou me. 

'T is true, I 've made lying refuges. 

Deceived by lies of men of fame. 

Building on others' lie my lie, 

O King, shall I in this succeed ? 

Thou who in me prayer begett'st, 

'T is no sin to follow thee ; 

'T was neither righteous men nor great, 

But God a refuge found for me. 

No man in this world can me teach. 

But only thou, Lord, alone. 

None keepeth truth but heaven's King, 

To His wisdom none is like. 

If I am in the way of truth. 

My tonsure vow requires it all ; 

If, Trinity, on a lie I rest. 

Lead me to the way of truth. 

Earth or clay shall not me cover. 

But waves of judgment, little the wrath. 

Nothing else shall be to hide me. 

But, Kinop, burnino' red-flamed fire. 

Trinity, thou mad'st this world, 

Both of fire and of earth ; 

Of earth and fire all men are made. 

So at the end it will be found. 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 161 



GENEALOGY OF THE MACGREGORS. 

John son of Patrick, son of Malcom, son of John the black, 
son of John, son of Gregor, son of John, son of Malcom, son of 
Duncan the little, son of Duncan from Srulee, son of Gilelan, 
son of Hugh of Urchy, son of Kenneth, son of Alpin ; and this 
Kenneth was head king of Scotland, in truth, at that time ; and 
this John is the eleventh man from Kenneth, of whom I spoke. 
— ^And Duncan the servitor, son of Dougal, son of John the 
grizzled, wrote this from the books of the genealogists of the 
kings ; and it was done in the year of our Lord One thousand 
five hundred and twelve. 



THE OKIGINAL GAELIC 



THE BOOK OF THE DEAN OF LISMORE 



MODEEN VEESION. 



I 



THE OKIGINAL GAELIC. 



A lioudir Ossaii MTimia. 

Di chonna mee tylych finn, is ner vai tylych teme trea, 
Aggum di chonna mee scheve, di vontir in ir in nea 
Di chonna mee tylych art, far lar vac donna binni 
Far is farre ne agga mi. Di chonna mee tylych finn 
Dane vaga mir a chonna mee, chonna m'ynlain fa ynna 
Owcht is mark na vagga ea. Di chonnek mai tylych finn 
Goym ree ni iyg nocli gi oik, za vil er mo chinni. 
Sin serra marreine o faynna, dyth chonna ma tylych finn. 

Di chonna mee tylych. 



A lioudir so Ossin. 

Is fadda noch ni nelli fiym, is fadda liym in nycheith ryr 

In lay dew gay fadda zoyth, di bi lor fadda in lay de 

Fadda Iwmmi gych lay za dik, ne mir sen di cleachta dom 

Gin deowe gin danyth cath, gin wea feylim class dlweth 

Gin nenith gin choill gin chrut, gin fronith crewi gin zneiwe 

gray 
Gin deillych ollom zor, wea gin neilli, gin oill fley 
Gin chin er swrri na er selgi, in da cherd rey in royth me 
Gin dwUi in glaow no in gath, oichane ach is derrich dow 
Gin wraith er ellit no er feyg, ne hawle sin bi wane lorn 
Gin loeg er chonvert no er chon, is fadda noch na nelli fiym 
Gin errith gaske gnaath, gin nimert ndr abaill linni 
Gin snaw zar leithre er loch, is fadda, etc. 
Din teill mir a ta mee, is trowig er bea mir a ta simi 



MODEEN VEESION. 



An t-iighdair Ossian mac Fhinn. 

Do chunnaic mi teaghlach Fhinn, 'us nior bu teaghlach tionia tr^abh, 

Agam do chunnaic mi sabh, de mhuinntir an fhir an dd 

Do chunnaic mi teaghlach Airt, fear le'r mhac donna binn, 

Fear is fearr ni faca mi. Do chunnaic mi teaghlach Fhinn. 

Do ni fhac mar a chunnaic mi, chunnaic mi mac an Luinn fa Fhinn. 

Och ! is mairg na faca e. Do chunnaic mi teaghlach Fhinn. 

Do'm t6 ni ioghnadh gach olc, dha bheil air mo cheann, 

Sinn saora marruinn o phein. Do chunnaic mi teaghlach Fhinn. 

Do chunnaic mi teaghlach. 



Is e ughdair so Ossian. 

Is fad an nochd na neula faim, is fada leam an oidhche an raoir, 

An la an diugh ge fada dhomh, do bu leor fada 'n la an d^, 

Fada leam gach la a thig, ni mar sin bu chleachdadh leam 

Gun deabhtha gun deanamh catha, gun bhi foghlum cleas dlu. 

Gun nigheanaibh, gun chebl, gun chruit, gun phronnadh cnaimh gun 

ghniomh gi'6, 
Gun tuilleadh fhoghluim gheire, bhi gun fheill, gun hi fleidh, 
Gun chion air suiridh, no air sealg, an da cheard ri an robh mi, 
Gun dol an gieb no an cath, ochan ! ach is deurach domh, 
Gun bhreith air eilid no air fiadh, ni h'amhuil sin bu mhiann leam, 
Gun luaidh air chonbheart no air chon, is fad an nochd na neula faim, 
Gun eiridh gaisge ghnathaich, gun imirt mar a b'Mll leinn. 
Gun snkmh d 'ar laochruidh air loch, is fad an nochd na neula faim, 
Do 'n t-saoghal mar a ta mi, is truagh ar bith mar a tha sinn. 



THE BOOK OF [axcientJ 



Menir a tarming clach, is faclda, etc. 
Derri ni feyni far iioiss, is mee Ossin mor m'finni, 
Gesticlit re gowow clokki, is fadda, etc. 
Faye a phatrik zoein o zea, fiss in iiini in bea sinni 
Gith serrir niarrien roith loclit, is fadda, etc. 

Is fadda. 



Auctur liujiis Ossin. 

La zay deacha finn nio raytli, di lielg er slej^^c ny ban fiim 

Tri meillith watliyon ny wayn, ne zeaatli skaow vass in ginn 

Ossin is vinni Iwmmi di zloyr, baunicht foiss er anmyn fiim 

Agus innis gay wayd fe3^g, hwtti er sleyve ny ban finn. 

Ga mor lewe crathamar slee, or ni deatlia voylte in loy 

Di hutti er sleyve ny ban finn, di zeyitli lay fin nyth wlygli 

Tnnis doyf royth gith skayle, bannith er a waill gin zoyth 

A bayig eadditli no ermmi, a doll leive a helg gi lay 

Di weitli eadditli agus ermmi, a doll leine a lielg mir senni 

Ni weitli feanee zeiwe ym zoe, gin leynitli roylle is men 

Gin cliottone scliee scliave, gin Inrycli sparri zeyr zlynn 

Gin chenvart clooth di cliorritli, s zay ley in iiorn gi fer 

Gin skay neynitli warryth boye, gin lanni cliroye eskoltith 

kenn 
A nearrytli in doytliin fayu sclieatli, ne royth nath bi zer no finn 
Is schea a barri enicht is av/ge, ne zeath lav vassa chinn 
Doll in dastill a choyn zill, gi aggin er farri mir finn 
Catli eggr a choymir schear, a helg er sleyve ni ban finn 
A phatrik ayd chinni ni glar, di balin grann vass ir ginni 
Noyr a hwyth finni r gonni da binni seirri agus schear 
Gow gyir o clinok gow cnok, a meskeith hork is feaygh 
Di weitli finn agus brann, nane swe selli er in tleywe 
Gyth fer rewe in nayd helg, no ger eirryth kolg in feark 
Di leggymir tre m cowe, a barri lowe sytli way gi garga 
Warwe gith cowe zewe da eyg selli fa neyd yn eyll na hard 
Di hwtti vi meill feyg bar er a zlann di weith fane tleyve 
A haggus eyg agus arbe ne zarne selgi mir sen reywe 
Gir bee deirrith ir selgi hear, a clarre oyd ni glar is ni giok 
Deich kayd kow fa lawre oyr hutti fa leon x c tork 
Di huttidir lyne ni twrk, a roynith ni helg er in lerga 
Mir a weyg r lanith is r lawe di verdis air er in telga 
A phatrik ni baichill fear, a wakka tow hear no horri 
Selga in lay raid lin a way new fin bi woyth no sen 



MODERN,] TPIE DEAN OF LTSMORE. 

'Nam sheauair a tarruing .chlach, is fad an noclid na neula faim. 
Deireadli na Feinn far nis, is mi Ossian mhr mac Fliinn, 
Ag eisdeachd ri guthaibh chlog, Is fad an noclid na neida faim, 
Faigh a Pliadniig dhuinn o Dhia, fios an inbhe am bi sinn, 
Gu saorar marrainn roimli loehd, is fad an noclid na neula faim. 

Is fad. 



Js e ugiidair so Ossian. 

La dhe 'n deachaidh Fionn mo glirkidh, do shealg air Sliabli nam ban fionn, 

Tri mile de mhaithibh na Feinn, na deagh sgiatlian os an cionn. 

Ossian is binn leam do gliloir, beannachd fbs air anam Fliinn, 

Agus innis cia mend fiadh, thuit air Sliabli nam ban fionn. 

Cia mbr luatli chratham ar sleidh, oir ni deacliaidh uait a luaidh 

Do thuit air Sliabh nam ban fionn, do iheidli le Fionn nam fleadli, 

Innis doibli romhad gach sgeul, beannaclid air a blieul gun glib. 

Am bitlieadli dideadii no airm, a dol leibli a shealg gach 15 'i 

Do bhitheadh dideadh agus airm, 'dol leinn a shealg mar sin, 

Ni bhitheadh Fian dhiubh a 'm ghuth, gun It^ine sroil is min. 

Gun chotan 'us i seimh, gun luireach 'us barr geur glan. 

Gun cheannbheart cloch de chorr, 's a dha shleagh 'an dorn gach tir, 

Gun sgiath nimhneach bheireadii buaidh, gun lann chruaidh a sgoltadli 

clieann, 
An iarraidh an domhain fa seach, ni robli neach bu gheir no Fionn, 
Is e a b'fhearr fhineadh 'us agh, ni dheachaidli lamli os a chionn, 
Dol an tasdail a choin ghil, cia againn fear bhtirr mar Fionn ? 
Gu h- eagar chaidhmir siar, a shealg air Sliabh nam ban noun. 
A Phadruig oide chinn na cleir, do b'aluinn grian os ar cionn, 
'An uair a sliuidh Fionn m'ar coinnimh, do binn sear agus siar, 
Guth gadhar o chnoc gu cnoc, a mosgladh thorc agus ihiadh. 
Do bhi Fionn agus Bran, 'nan suidh seal air an t-sliabh, 
Gach fear dhiubh 'an end seilg, no gur eireadh colg am feirg, 
Do leigeamar tri mile cil, a b'fhearr luth 's a bha garg. 
Mharbh gach cu dhiubh sin da fhiadh, seal fa'n deachaidh iall 'an aird. 
Do thuit se mile feidh barr, air a ghleann do bhi fo 'n t-sliabh. 
Na th' agaibhse fhiadh agus earb, ni dheanadh sealg mar sin riamh. 
Gur b 'e deireadh ar sealg shear, a chleirich oide nan cleir 's nan clog, 
Deich ceud cu fo shlabhraidh 5ir, thuit fo lebn deich ceud tore, 
Do thuit leinn na tuirc, a rinn na h-uilc air an leirg. 
Mar bhitheadh ar lann 'us ar lanih, do bheirdeas kr air an t-seilg. 
A Phadruig nam bachuU fior, am faca tu shear no shoir, 
Sealg an la ri d' linn, o Fhianaibh Fhinn bu mho na sin '( 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



Ach sen selga a roiiiitli finn v'alpin ni miuui blaytli 
Gar ni goyllane ansi clieille. gi bi wiuni lajmi ane lay 

Lay za deach. 



Actor hiijus Ossin. 

Lay za deach say zai keill, Patr'^ zrynu ni bachal . . . 

Kug e in tossin less er wurn, gow was aa gi . . . si . . , 

Is di bail awzail iioid, Ossan nan roak nach teym 

Coo in tein neaacli gin a loyith, smow chur groym er feanow fynn 

A cleryth ni bacliill brek, bi wor ym beaclit zut reid lin 

A chnrri a wrayr a znaath, ne wai zaw er fauaw fynn 

Onyth harly zut gin noine, a Ossin gin doll nane dey 

Bee say er chathris gi braa, how gathris di znaa nyn fane 

Kegit blyin di bein boa, a geyskych reid choel syth heill 

Ne hynossit zut gow maik, a luit eacht a rin feanow fynn 

Fa ranew in doyn traane, wa agginn fene er gyth . . . 

Keiss ga hokwail gow fane fin, na nue in tegwail . . . 

Ne reive ansyth si doythin vor; nach da bi chor bea na . . . 

Ne reive in nalwe nin lann brek, a darveitli . . . 

Da nynnosit zeive in ness, a Ossin nin gress noch mein. 

Coo yn tein neacli bi zar lave, wa sreyith . . . 

Mor in feine, a churris orm, a cleyrrith oyd nyth f . . . 

Ni hynossit gow lay looin, ne way loye . . . 

Onyth harlyth how nane dey, a Ossin da dane . . . 

Coo nyth leich bar lat mait skay, ri dol din ane ansyth gath 

Oskir is keilt is gowle, is m'lowith nyn lanni maath 

Fa hymchill v'kowle ayl boyin di bi raa si chath 

Farzone fullych m'ynreith is kerrill ri sneive zaath 

Dermin daath alin gyn nawle, re hor skaath cliin bi waath 

Collyth m'cheilt er wley mynni, kyrkeith curri nya genk maath 

Agus rynnith m'ynreith, myrychin nar wenyth in gaath 

Felane foltinn bi wakith ind, agus garryth in deim narv 

D erring m'doyrin gyn none aygh m 'garryth bi waath law 

Me fene is g. ra'smail is dyryth darrith m'ronane 

Tre mek nyth kerd gyn chalk, re oyr hentyth di barm yark 

Mir a zana ma zut goo, a cleryth wor furt nyth mynni 

Cha noch banit dossyth din nane ach gith fer fane a braath a zille 

Soo id chaithir is gawe di fenni is wayassi in uarm gi ler 

Gi ein neach ga bi zar laiwe, hanyth o chaaith g-uss in nane 

Hanyth reith lochlin er ler, daor done skaa by wor gnaa 






iiODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 

Ach sin sealg a rinn Fiomi, mhic Alpainn nam mionn blatli, 

iams' an la. 
La dli' an deachaidh. 



Thar na gblan amis a chill, gum bu bliinue learns' an la, 



Is e ughdair so Ossiaii. 

La de 'n deacliaidli se do 'n chill, Padmig griun a bhachuill . . . 

Rug e an t-Ossian leis air mhuirn, gu bhitheas e . . . 

'Us do b'aill learn f haghail uait, Ossian nan ruaig nacli tioma, [Fhinn '] 

Co an t-aon neach gun a luaidh, 's mo chuir de ghruaim air Fiannaibli 

A chl^irich a bhachuill bhric, bu mhbr am beachd dhuit ri d' linn, 

A chur ann am briathraibh gnkthaichte, na bha a dh'agh air Fiannaibli 

na tharladh dhuit gun on, Ossian gun dol 'n an deidh, [Fhinn. 

Bith-sa air chaithris gu brkth, thu'g aithris mu ghnkth nam Feinn. 

Caogad bliadhna na 'm bithinn beo, ag disdeachd ri d' chebl 's a chill, 

M h innisinn dhuit gu m' eug, a liuthad euchd 'rinn Fianna Fhinn. 

Fearainne an domhain trein, bha againn Mn air gach . . . 

Cis 'g a thogail gu Feinn Fhinn, air neo an teugbhail . . . 

jSfi robh auns an domhan mhor, neach da 'm bu chbir 

Ni robh ann an Almha nan lann breac, a gharbh ... 

Da 'n innisid dhoibh a nis, Ossian nan greas nach ... 

Co an t-aon neach bu gheire lamh, bha . . . 

M6r a phdin a chuireas orm, a chldirich oide ... 

Ni h-innisinn gu la luain, na bha a biaidh . . . 

na tharladh thu 'n an ddidh, Ossian da deanadh ... 

Co na laoich b' f hearr leat mu 'd sg^ith, ri dol do 'n Fheinn amis a chath 1 

Osgar 'us Caoilt 'us Gall, us Mac Lughaidh nan lann maith. 

Fa thimchioU Mhic Cumhail aille, buidheann do bu rdidh 's a chath, 

Fearghon fuileach mac an righ, 'us Caruill r'a 's nimhe gath, 

Diarman dathta aluinn gun umhal, do fhuair sgiath chinii bu mhaitli, 

Collaidh mac Chaoilt air fleadh mine, Corca curaidh nan geang maith, 

Agus Roinn mac an righ, muirichinn nach min 'an cath, 

Faolaii folt-f hionn bu mhac Fhinn, agus G-araidh an dion nkmh, 

Dearuinn mac Dobharain gun on, Aodh mac Garaidh bu mhaith Ihmh, 

Mi fein 'us Garaidh mac Small, 'us Daoire darrach mac Ronain, 

Tri mic a Cheaird gun cheilg, ri 'r thionndadh do 'm b'arm dhearg. 

Mar a dheanadh mi dhuit guth, a chldirich mhbr Phuirt na mionna, 

Clia b' aithne dhomhsa de 'n Fheinn, ach gach fear dhiu bh' a breth a gheill 

Suidh 'n ad chaithir 'us gabh do pheann, 'us gu faigheas an arm gu l^ir. 

Gach aoii neach do 'm bu gheir Ikmli, thainig o chathaibh gus an Fheinn. 

Thainig righ Lochlainn air lear, Daire doiin sgiath bu mhor gn6, 



8 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Di wraa keiss erriii er koyne, fane deyryth r sloyg gyth ler 

Hanyth ith chawr zar wane, twoa dey hug ass gi knok 

Carbryth loaeclir bi waath lawe, iiij cliayth slane gow port 

Vii caythin hanik in nane huggar in near o lea cuynni 

Ne . . . sa nyth deacha rir gerrow, oo roe zein slane o zaryth dwnni 

Is sai waa na cliawlyth long, darytli deowu sytli liylycli fene 

XXX caatli feit di loyith nath dea woyin dar der feine 

Waa ga weeow er in trae, cown krer bi lawe gin locht 

Ruk sloyg nyn hynea zeive, is di hog ea kenni reith er knok 

Cown m 'reith wllith nin eacht, agus dollir nan greath trom 

Di zagamir er in traa er ym bayth fo zar tonni 

iij mec doytith ga bi rane, yth toythit o lar yn long 

Fer tenni is kerkil a flwk, a zaik sinni a gorp gi lommi 

Oor armyth neyn reith grekga, agus forni nyn beyme troine 

Di zagamir fa zaar byve, is ner aig synn in vyve fa bron 

iiij mec reith lochlin bi a chasgr sein de neive arm 

Ne tre balwe one vorrin or, neyn deacha sayd voyn ach marg 

Re in doythin ga bi wor. Dare done skayth bi zall gnaa 

Di zaig sinn sin a chorp er trae, er ni lot fo wail nyn nane 

Di loyew in doythin trane neyn deacha woyn fene sin nar 

Ach reith ni franki mir hea an lyn say brea er in nail 

Er eggill in oskir wll, cha di leggi ay voyeni er lar 

Gow glen baltan mir ta hest, is and di zawe ay foss is tawe 

Er traye fintrath ni goyn fer in churri ni sloye in tar 

Er reow in doythin trane, di zoil sein fene er sar 

Di bimmi o reith r narm, leich a waa marve er in lar 

Di bimmi clawe agus skayth na blaya har er in traye 

Er traye fintraithin nyn port, di bimmi ann corp ferrane 

Di bimmi leich fa zar byve, is di bimmi ann fyve ar 

Phatrik V'Alpin ail, neyn danith zar wane wo rae 

Ach da cath eggr gyn locht is ny roif in gorp slane 

Cath di clanni bisskyni zeive, boein noch char vennyth in law 

Cath di clanni mornyth nyn grath is in darne lay clannow smail 

Er fr lawsyth ath halgin trane, say zaik sin dar wane sin nar 

Coyk cathin eggr zar sloyig a legga woyn er in tra 

xxxtli ca feizit gin rath, deechcayd feithyit gith cath zeive 

Zarremay loyg zar zoynn, nach dranik er toynn a reiss 

A halgin da wreggrin clar, o baillait deym pen gych skail 

Gow dukgai caa zawryth nyth glann, noch cha danik ken r lay 

Di rynni sin a gawli long, agus argit trome in reith 

In noor sin eydda sin neycht, in neirrin er gi lea dee 

A Phatrik matha ny mynn an id keilli a waym bass 

Cur feyn talla her mo knees oss aggit hay fiss mo skail 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 9 

Do bhreith cis Eirinn air Clionn, fa 'n deurach ar sluagli gii l^ir. 
Tliainig de chobhar do 'r Feinn, sluagh do thug as gach ciioc, 
Cairbar leobhar bu mhaitli lamli, ceithir cathan slan gu port, 
Seachd cathan thamig de 'n Fhdinn, thngar tri an ear leth Chuinn, 
M mor nach deachaidh ghearradh na robh dhinn slkn Dhaire donn. 
Is e bha 'n a chabhlach long, Daire donn 's a theaghlach Mn, 
Deich cath fichead de shluagh, nach deachaidh uainn do 'n tire fdin, 
Bha ga 'm feitheamh air an trMgh, Conn crithear bu Ikmh gun lochd, 
Rug sluagh na h-Innia dhoibh, 'us do thog e ceann righ air cnoc, 
Conn mac righ Ullaidh nan euchd, agus Dollar nan gniomh trt)m, 
Do dh' fhkgamair air an trkigh, air am bkthadh fo ghMr tonn. 
Tri mic Dubhtaich dha 'm bu threun, a teachd lar an long, 
Feartan is Cearcul a phluic, do dh' fhkg sinn an cuirp gu lorn. 
Omhar armaicht nighean righ Creige, agus Forna nam beuman trbm, 
Do dh' fhkgamar fo ghaire baoibh, is nior fhag sin an aoibh fa brhn, 
Ceithir mic righ Lochlainn, a chosgair sinn de nimh arm, 
Na tri Balaidh 'n Bhorruinn shoir, ni 'n deachaidh iad uainn ach mairg, 
Righ an Domhain ge bu mhbr, Daire donn sgiath bu gheal gn^ 
Do dh' fhkg sinn a chorp air trkigh, air a lot fo bhuille na Feinn, 
De shluaghaibh an domhain tr^in, ni 'n deachaidh uainn f^in 's an Idr 
Ach righ na Fraince mar e, ainlinn 's e breith air an Ml ; 
Air eagal an Osgair oill, cha do leig e a bhuinn air Ikr, 
Gu Gleannabaltan mar tha 'theisd, is ami do ghabh e fois 'us tknh. 
Air trkigh Fionntraigh a chuain, far na chuir na sloigh an t-kir, 
Air righribh an domhain trein, do dh' hi sinn f^in ar sar, 
Do b' iomadh fhraoich ar n' arm, laoich a bha marbh air an Ikr, 
Do b' iomadh claidheamh 'us sgiath, 'n am bloighibh shear air an trkigh, 
Air traigh Fionntraigh nam port, do b' iomadh ann corp fhearkn. 
Do b' iomadh laoich fo ghkire baoibh, 'us do b' iomadh ann faoibh kir. 
A Phadruig mhic Alpain Ml, ni 'n d' thainig de 'r Feinn thrkigh, 
Ach da chath eagar gun lochd, agus ni 'n robh an corp slkn. 
Cath de chlannaibh Baoisgne dhiubh, buidheann noch char mhean an Ikmh, 
Cath de chlannaibh Moirne nan grath, agus an darna le clannaibh Smkil. 
Air bhur lamhsa a thailginn thrdine, 's e dh' fhkg sinn de 'r F^inn 's an kir, 
Coig cathan eagar de 'r sluagh, a leigeadh uainn air an trkigh, 
Deich cath fichead gun rath, deich ceud fichead gach cath dhiubh, 
De dh' kireimh sluaigh Dhaire dhuinn, nach d' rainig air tonn a ris. 
A thailginn da freagrann cldir, b' aill leat nam f^in gach sgeul, 
Gu tugadh cath Ghabhra nan gleann, noch cha tainig ceann ar la. 
Do rinneadh sinn a gabhail long, agus airgiod trom an righ, 
An t-6r, 's an eideadh, 's an ni, 'an Eirinn air gach leth di. 
A Phadruig mhaith nam mionna, ann ad chill am faigheam bks i 
Cuir fdin talamh air mo chneas, 's agad tha fios mo sgeul. 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



Ossin taa tow skeith, dane a noss di lieith gou bass 
Gau turnigin is ear thvs, is gew Dea mowcli gi lay 
Ar sleyve Seyaiie la luain, agus ni sloye er a lar 
Meicliall is mur is mac Dey, dy lioyrt fene er an law 
In da espil deyk si wlay gi clerych may is gi faye 
Edrwme agis efFrin or di wi gi eroy er my lay. 

Lay. 



Auctor liiijus Osseane m'lyiiu. 

Anvine in noclit uart mo lawe ne ell mi coozein er laar 

Is nee euytli zof waa bronych ym zebil trog sennorych 

Troyg gi neith clieddeytli doif seacli gi dwn er twne talwon 

Re tarring clach a hallinn gow relling hulchin taking 

It ta wrskal aggwme zut er ir zi wuntir phatrik 

Estitli re astenyth inn schal beg er toclit zin talgin 

Brwin di rinnyth in swnn er sleywe quoalgein moelyth Iwmm 

Di cburri er feanow pliail ywir in ta hunwail 

Da drane din wrwin wroyth cliur finn er clan morn 

Agus in trane elli zeit ormss is er clannow biskneitli 

Hugas fregryth nar choyr er m'cowle v'tranewoyr 

Hurd nacli bein fada fa smacht is nach danytli doo geilleicht 

Di weit Finn fada na host in leicli nac burras a cosga 

Per gin noyin gin eggill nor a quayl in doo regrytli 

Is sea coyrra di raa rwm flath eanytli ny vane finn 

Bea ton schell a tarring cloocli ma in deyt how in weit wronyth 

Di zeyrris is sin ra erg soss o vak cowle a rinzerga 

Sea lenn me din nane awnyth cathrow chath croychalm 

Fastir miss ag in nane verrir royssa my wraa feyn 

In Iwcht a wa gim heit aim is da in deit id tame gi anvin 

Faa meith in coythrlytli croo din nane in gath crwnvonyth 

Anvin 
Ymyth nac gin anyth ann da in tallyth tame gyth anvin 

anvin 
Anvin in nocht cley mo curp creddwm di wraer padrik 
Eddir lawe is chass is chenn, it tame ullith gi anvin anvin 

Anvin, 



A hoiidir so Ossin. 

In soo chonnich maa in nayne, di chonnich ma caynan is goole 
Finui is oskir mi vacki rjmith is art is dermit doone 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 

Ossiaiii, tha tii sgith, dean a iiis do sliith gu bks, 

Gabh d' tirnuighean 'us iarr tlus, 'us guidh Dia mocli gacli la, 

Air sliabh Sion la luain, agus na sluaigh air an \h>Y, 

Michal 'us Muire 'us mac Dh^' do thoirt Mn air an laimh. 

An da abstol deug 's a bhlaith, gach cleireach maith 's gacli faidh, 

Edaram agus Ifrionn, oir do bhi gu cruaidh air mo la. 

La. 



Is e uglidair so Ossiaii mac Fliinn. 

Anmhunn an uochd neart mo, laimli, ni bheil mo choimhgliin er Ikr, 

Is ni ioghnadh dhomh bhi brbnach, 'am ghiobul truagli seanarach, 

Truagh gach ni cheadaich domh, seach gach duine air tuinn talmliainn, 

Bhi tarruing chlach a shallain, gu relig thulaich an tailghin, 

Tha ursgeul agam dhuit, air ar dheadh mhuinntir, Phadruig, 

Eisd ri faistneachd Fhinn, seal beag air teachd do 'n tailginn. 

Brughainn do rinn an sonn, air sliabh Chuailgne maola lom, 

Do chuir air Fianaibh Fail, aobhair ann do thionail. 

Da thrian de 'n bhrughainn bhreagh, chuir Fionn air Clanna Moirn, 

Agus an trian eile dheth ormsa, agus air clannaibh Baoisgne. 

Thugas freagradh nar choir, air mac Cumhail mhic Threunmhoir ; 

Thubhairt nach bithinn fad fo a smachd, 's nach deanainn da g^illeadh. 

Do bha Fionn fada 'n a thosd an laoch, nach b' fhurasd a chosgadh, 

Fear gun on gun eagal, 'n uair a chual an dubh-fhreagradh, 

Is e an cbmhradh do radh rium, flath ainbhtheach na Feinn, Fionn, 

Bithidh tu seal a tarruing chlach, ma 'n d' theid thu 'na bhith bhrbnach. 

Do dh' eireas sin ri feirg suas, o mhac Cumhail rinn-dhearg. 

Is e lean mi de 'n Fheinn ainbhtheach, an ceathramh cath cruaidh-chalm, 

Fasdair mise aig an Fheinn, bheirear roimhse mo bhreth fein, [mhunn, 

An luchd a bha ga 'm sheideadh, ann is do 'n teid, A ta 'm gu h-an- 

Fa mi an comhairleach crodha, do 'n Fheinn an cath cruinnbheum. 

Anmhunn, 
lomadh neach gun aithne ann, de' an talamh ta 'm gu h-anmhunn, 

anmhunn, 
Anmhunn an nochd cliabh mo chuirp, creideam do bhriathra Phadruig, 
Eadar Ikmh 'us chos 'us cheann, a ta 'm uile gu h-anmhunn anmhunn, 

Anmhunn, 



Is e uolidair so Ossiaii. 

An so chuunaic mi an Fheinn, do chunnaic mi Conan 'us Gall, 
Fionn 'us Osgar mo mhac, Roinn, 'us Art, 'us Diarmad donn. 



12 THE BOOK OF 

M'lowith kynkeitli ni galge garrith derk is ey beg 

Is ey m'carritli nor heyme ni tre finni is fed 

Glass is gow is garri galwe nin gead is conane brass 

Gole is CAvin m'gwille sokkitli m'fynni is bran 

Keilt m'ronane ni gatli doywn coylin is leym er gieinni 

Is caeditli a fronitli or is fer one woyne var by vinni 

Baynitli m'Brassil ni lanni m'cliromchin tenni m'yn sinail 

Agus oskir m'carritli zerve ni tre balwa is ni tre skaill 

Tre boyane zlinni schroill tre rwell o voyuith reith 

vii mic cheilt ni glass tre zlassni zlessra nyn ser 

Tre beatli clmoki durt be veddeis fo wnrni znath 

Deach m'eithit vorni vor oissi teaelit er boie id tad 

In soo a chonicli ma in nane boyine eall di chencliyth koyll 

In dimchill ossin is inn swle zlinni di fronfre or 

Fer loo is kerrill croye di verdeis boye er gytli catlit 

Fay canym is fehme feall di chonnik mi ead in soo 

In soo ehonui. 



A lioiidir so ossin in'finn. 

lunis downe a pliadrik nonor a leyvin 

A wil neewa gi hayre ag mathew fane eyrrin 

Veyriss zut a zayvin a ossinn ni glooyn 

Nac wil nee\Ya ag aytliyr ag oskyr na ag goulle 

Ach is troyg ni skayl cliannis tiiss cleyrry 

Mis danew clirawe is gin neewa ag fane e3'rrin 

Nac math lat a teneir vee tow si caythre 

Gin keilt gin noskyr weith far zntt is taythyr 

Beg a wath Iwmsi wee ym hew si caythree 

Gin keilt gin noskyr weith far rwm is maythir 

Is farr gnwss vec neyve re agsin raa am lay 

Na wil doyr si grwniiith vea aggit gi hymlane 

Innis dwne a halgin skayli ni caythryth noya 

Verinsi zut gi hayre scaylli cath gawrraa 

Ma sea skayli ni cathrych zeawris tuss a liannor 

Gin netow gin nagris gin nenkis gin nanehoyve 

Ka id mnntir neyve is oyssil fayne eyrrin 

Vil kroyss na gree na deilli sead cleyrri 

Ni heynin is ni fane ni cosswil eayd ree cheyll 

Neir zlass glayrre wea geyrre sprey 

Er zraw tenni phadrik na fagsi ni demyh 

Gin nis di ree noya ber a steach ni fayni. 



i 



MODEBX.] . THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 13 

Mac Lughaidh geangacli nan colg, Garaidh dearg, 'us Aodh beag, 
'Us Aodh mac Garaidh nach tioma, na tri Fionna 'ns Fead 
Glas, agiTs Gobh agiis Garaidh, Galabh nan gead 'us Conan bras, 
GoU agus Crudhain mac Ghuill, Socach mac Fhinn agus Bran, [glinne, 
Caoilte mac Ronain nan cath, deagh dhuine coimhlinn agus leum air 
Is e a cheud a bhronnadh oir, 'us fear 'n bhonn bharr bu bhinne, 
Baitheau mac Brasail nan lann, mac Croimchinn dein mic an Smaill, 
Agus Osgar mac Garaidh ghairbh, na tri Balbh 'us na tri Sgeil, 
Tri buidhinn Ghlinne Srbil, tri Ruaill mhonadh Righ, 
Seachd mic Chaoilt nan cleas, tri Glasa Ghlasraidh nan saor, 
Tri Beathach chnoic an Duird, do bhitheas fo mhuirn a ghnkth, 
Deathach mac Fhichit a Bhoruinn mhoir, os a teachd air buaidh a taid. 
An so chunnaic mi an Fheiun, buidheann fhiall do cheann 'chadh cebl. 
An timchioll Ossiain 'us Fhinn, siubhail ghleann do bhronnadh bir, 
Fearluth 'us Caruil cruaidh, do bheireadh buaidh air gach cath. 
Fa canaim 'us Faolan fiall, do chunnaic mi iad 'an so. 

An so chunnaic. 



Is e ughdair so Ossiaii mac Fhinn. 

Innis duinn a Phadruig an onoir is leinu ; 

Am bheil neamh co h-aighear aig maithibh Feinn Eirinn ? 

Bheirinnse dhuit a dheimhin, Ossian nan glonn, 

Nach bheil neamh aig d' athair aig Osgar no aig Gall. 

Ach is truagh an sgeul a chanas tusa chldirich, 

Mise deanamh chrkbhaidli 's gun neamh aig Feinn Eirinn. 

Nach maith leat a d' aonar bhi d' shuidh 's a chaithir 

Gun Chaoilt, gun Osgar bhi marriut 'us d' athair ? 

Is beag am maith leamsa bhi am shuidh 's a chaithir, 

Gun Chaoilt, gun Osgar, bhi marrium 'us m'athair 

Is fearr gnuis mhic neimh ri fhaicinn r^idh do la 

No na bheil de dh' or 's a chruinne bhi agad gu h-iomlan. 

Innis duinn a Thailginn sgeul na cathrach naomha, 

Bheirinnse dhuit co h-aighear sgeul catha Ghabhra. 

Ma 's e sgeul na cathrach, dh' iarras tusa a sheanair, 

Gun iotadh gun ocras, gun airceas, gun aiueamh. 

Ge iad muinntir ndimh, is uasal Feinn Eirinn, 

Am bheil cruas nan ciidhe, na diolsa iad a chldirich. 

Ni h-ionann 'us na Feinn, ui cosmhuil iad ri cheile, 

Ni air ghlas clkr a bhi ag iarraidh sprdidh. 

Air ghradh teann a Phadruig na fkgsa na daimhe, 

Gun f hios do riirh neimh beir a steacli na Feinn. 



14 THE BOOK OF [anciekt. 



A lioudir soo Ossein. 

Annit cloif skayle beg er finn, ne skayle nach currein soyrn 

Er v'cowle fay math golle, fa cowin sen rame ray 

Di wamyn beggane sloyeg, ag essroyg nyn neggin inaAvle 

Di cheniyn fa holta yr trae, currych mor is ben ann 

Keigit leich zownych mane leich, fa math er gueeit er gych gart 

Fir rar ness is marg a cheith, di gowmist er gi ter nert 

Derrymir wlli gi dane, acli finn no wane is gowle 

Detliow cliurrycli fa hard keym wa na reym scoltyth nyn donn 

Ne yarnyth tam in na techt gir zoywe calle si fort ynaa 

Yth techt dey her in ness derre ass m'cap^e mnaa 

Gilli a darli no syth graanne, is ser mayne nossyth dalwee 

In nynin hanyk in gane, di waymin feyn rompyth sorve 

Heg thuggin gu pupaill finn, is banneis gi grin doyth 

Reggir m'kowle na heiner, in bannow beinn gin toyth 

Darrit in reith fa math drach, gi hard di neyn dath zlan 

Ca trawe as dauith in wan, toywr skaylli gi gar rowne 

Neyn may re heir fa hvrne, innosit gyth crwn my zayll 

Ne elli trawe fa neyin grane nar earis feyn di leich feal 

A reithyin hwlle gi royd a neyn oyk is math dalwe 

In tosga fa daneis an gane tawiris doyth pen gi darve 

Mi chomryth ort mass tow finn, di rae run in makayve mna 

Daywis towr loyryth is di loye gave mi chomre gi loyth tra 

Derrich in reith fa math fiss sloneit a niss ca ter a hei 

Goym rayd chomre a wen er gi far za will in greit 

Tay la feich a techt er murri leich is math gol er mi lorga 

Mak re na Sorchir is geire erme is do fa anm in Dyr borb 

Di churris gessi ne chenn gi berre fin may er saylle 

Is nach bein aggi mir wnee gar wath a ynee is awge 

Di raye osgir gi glor mir far sin di chosk gi reith 

Gin gar for finn di yess, ne rach tow less mu' wneith 

Di chemyn techt her stead leich si wayd oss gi far 

Sowle ni farga gi dane si nwle chadni zoyve a wen 

Clokgit tenn teygne ma chenni far nar heme is bi tren 

Skaa yrwnnych you er a zess a drum lin cless era claa 

Clawe trome tortoyl nac gann gi tenn er teive in ir vor 

A gymirt class assi chind is a techt in genu tloye 

Za voneis zasg gi moya a sessow in gawlow skay 

Er nert er zask er zolle ne elle far mir achay 

Naill flath is rosk reith in kenn in ir fa keive crow 

l^Iath in noyth fa gall a zayd is loayth a stayd ne gi srow 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



Is e ughdair so Ossian. 

Aithniclite domh sgeul beag air Fionn, ni sgeul nach cuirear an suim, 

Air Mac Cumhail fa maith goil, fa cuimline sin ri "m r^. 

Do blia sinn beagan sluaigh, aig Easruadh nan eagan mall, 

Do chi sinn fo stiebl air traidh, currach mbr 'us bean ann. 

Caogad laocli guineach mu 'n righ, fa maith air ghniomli air gach gart, 

Fir d' ar n-eis is mairg a chite, do ghabhamaid air gach tir neart. 

Do eireamar uile gu dion, ach Fionn nam Fiann 'us G-all, [tonn. 

Do f heitheamh a churraich fa h-airde ceum, bha 'n a reim a sgoltadh nan 

Ni dheanadh tkmh ann a teachd, gu 'r ghabh cala 's a pliort ghnkth, 

Aig teachd do thir an eas, do eirich as maca mnatha, 

Gile a dealradh no sitheadh grdiue, 'us is min nbs a deilbh ; 

An ainnir a thainig an cdin, do bhamaid fdin roimpe goirbh. 

Thig thugainn gu pubull Fhinn, 'us beannaicheas gu grinn doibh, 

Fhreagair Mac Cumhail 'na aonar, am beannachd binn gun toigh, 

Do f harraid an righ fa maith dreach, gu h-ard do nighean an dath ghloin, 

Co 'n treabh as an d' thainig a bhean, thoir sgeul gu geur dhuinn. 

Nighean mi righ thir fo thuinn, innisid gu cruinn mo dhkil, 

Ni bheil treabh fa 'n iadh grian, nar iarras fein do laoich fial, 

A rioghan a shiubhaij gach rbid, a nighean big is maith dealbh, 

An tosga fa thainigeas an cein, tabhaireas doibh f^in gu dearbh. 

Mo chomraich ort ma 's tu Fionn, do radh ruinn am maca mnatha, [trath. 

D' f heabhas d' iirlabhraidh 'us do shluaigh, gabh mo chomraich gu luath 

Deir an righ fa maith fios, sloinn a nis co th' air do thi, 

Gabham ri 'd chomraich, a bhean, air gach fear dha 'm bheil an cridhe. 

Tha le fioch a teachd thar muir, laoch is maith goil air mo lorg, 

Mac righ na Sorcha is maith au'm, 'us do 'n ainm an Daire Borb. 

Do chuireas geasan 'n a chionn, gum beireadh Fionn mi air ski, 

'Us nach bithinn aige mar mhnaoi, ge 'r mhaith a ghniomh 'us 'agh. 

Do rkdh Osgar le gloir mhear, am fear sin a chosg gach righ. 

Gun ge 'r fbireadh Fionn do gheas, ni rachadh tu leis mar mhnaoi. 

Do chi sinn teachd thar steud, laoch 's a mheud os gach fear, 

'Siubhal na fairge gu dian, 's an iul cheudna 'ghabh a bhean, 

Clogaid teann tighinn mu 'cheann, fa 'n fhear nar thioma 'us bu treuu, 

Sgiath chruinn dhubh air a dheas, a druim Ikn chleas air a cleibh, 

Claidheamh trom toirteal nach gann, gu teann air taobh an fhir mhoir, 

Ag imirt chleas os a chionn, 'us a teachd an counimh an t-sluaigh, 

A dha mhanais gaisge le buaidh, a seasamh an gualainn a sgeith. 

Air neart, air ghaisge, air ghoile, ni bheil fear mear ach e, 

Neul flath 'us rosg righ, an ceann an fhir fa caomh cruth, 

Maith a shnuadh 'us geal a dheud, is luaithe a steud no gach sruth, 



1 



i6 THE BOOK OP [ancient. 

Tanik in stead sin in deir sin far nar weine riss in nayne 

Kegit leich vvemir ann zonytli ra hynsyth gar nar 

Er eggill in ir is a heyth ne royve leich zin gan zrane 

Da twne mir hanik in deir darrit in reith fa math clu 

In nathin tow feyu a wen in na sud in fer a der tow 

Haneym a v'couUe a ynd is fowir linn a zi tane 

Darg say miss wra less ga math di thress a inn aylle 

Derre oskir agus Gowle bi worbe coskir lonn ni gath 

Nane sessow in gar in tloye eddir in far mor si flaath 

Hanik in leich bi wath tlacht le feich is lay nart no genn 

Aggis foddeis woyn in wen di we gar a zolin inn 

Tnk m'Morn in turcliir dane gi croy na zey din tleyg 

Ner anui in turchir nar hay za sky gin darny da wli 

Di crath oskir fa mor ferg a chrissi yerg za layve claa 

Aggis marvels stayd in ir mor in teaach a rinyth lai 

Nor hut in stayd er in lerg zimpoo la ferg is la feich 

Agis fokgris borbe in teme corik er in kegit leich 

In tewe moe zinsyth fene is dinn kegit leich nar heim no zall 

G-ar waat in tessow sid drost di zyle in gask la nyth lawe 

Varrit da willi gi marri gi dane di gi far zew sin 

De nemist wlli fa hur mir hu ac coryk fir 

Chaywill tre nenor gi moy sin nirrill chroy soUi di scur 

Ga croy chaywill ni dre cheill er gi eine dew sin a churr 

Di zrwt gowle in nagni vir gu leddirt in ir in gor roit 

Ga bea chewic eads in sin bi zarve in gell sin gloe 

Horchir m'Morn lai laive m're nyth sorchir skaylle mur 

Is margk trave in danik in ven fa hut in far in gar roit 

Is er tuttym in ir vor in gar zi choyn croye in ceme 

Di we neyn re heir fa hwne bleygin ac finn ansyth nane 

riann m'Morn croy in cass hor bass fa mor in teacht 

Ne reive leich a danik ass zeive gin a chneis lane di chrecht 

Mathirsyth feine bi wath tlacht neach a wackyth reyve neir er 

In nis ass derri dym zneith er inn is annit dott skayll. 

Annit doth skayll. 

Do zawe sea churre no o skay leith na thraa zor royve ann 
Na gin dug ayr mor er ir wane is gin dranik se a feyn fynn. 

Mir wee kegit leich garwe in daall in narm zo gi loor 
Wemist gin choywir fa smach da goyvys woyn in cor 
Di weit in glywe gin tocht a cluyith chorp agus skay 
Co math chorik pen a deiss ne aykyth reiss er mi ray 
Eligir aggin ag in ess fer bi wath tressi is gneive 



MODEBN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 17 

Thainig an steud sin air tir, 's am fear nar mliiu ris an Fheinn. 
Caogad laoch bhith'maid ann, a choinnich a dli' ionnsuidh an f liir, 
Air eagal an f hir 'us a theaclid, ni robh laoch. gun ghrain. 
De thuinn mar thainig air tir, d' fharraid an righ fa maith cliii, 
An aithnich thu fdin a bhean, an e sud am fear a deir tu 1 
Aithnicheam, Mhic Cumhail, a Fhinn, is piidhar leam e do d' Fheinn, 
Tairgidh se mise a bhreith leis, ge maith do threise, Fhinn aill, 
Do eirich Osgar agus Gall, bu bhorb cosgair lonn nan cath, 
'N an seasamh an goire do 'n t-sloigh, eadar am fear mbr 's am flath, 
Thainig an laoch bu mhaith tlachd, le fioch 'us le neart 'n a cheann, 
Agus faigheas uainn a bhean, do bha 'n goire do ghualainn Fhinn, 
Thug Mac Moirne an t-urchar dian, gu cruaidh 'n a dheigh do 'n t-sleigh, 
Nior fann an t-urchar nior e, dhe 'sgdith gun d' rinneadh da bhloidh. 
Do chrath Osgar fa mbir f heirg a chrios dhearg dhe 'laimh chli, 
Agus marbhas steud an fhir, mbr an t-euchd a rinneadh leatha. 
'N uair thuit an steud air an leirg, dh' iompaich e le feirg 'us le fioch, 
Agus fbgras, borb an taom, comhrag air na caogad laoich. ['n a dhkil. 
An taobh mo dh' ionnsuidh fdin 'us d' Fhinn, caogad laoch nior thiom 
Ge 'r mhaith an seasamh 's an trosd, do gheill an cosg le a laimh. 
Bheireadh da bhuille gu mear, gu dian do gach fear dhiubh sin, 
Do bhitheamaid uile fa h-uir, mar h-iimh ag comhrag fir. 
Cheangail tri naoinear le buaidh, 's an iorghuill chruaidh sul do sguir, 
Gu cruaidh ceangail nan tri chaoil, air gach aon diubh sin a chuir. 
Do dhruid Gall an aigne mhir, gu leadairt an fhir an goire roimhe, 
Oia b'e chitheadh iad an sin, bu gharbh an goile 's an gleb ; 
Thorchair Mac Moirne le a laimh, Mac righ na Sorcha, sgeul mbr ; 
Is mairg treabh 'n d' thkinig a bhean, fa thuit am fear an goire romha. 
'Us air tuiteam an fhir mhbir, an goire do 'n chuan, cruaidh an ceum, 
Do bhi nighean righ thir fo thuinn, bliadhna aig Fionn anns an Fheinn. 
Flann mac Moirne cruaidh 'an cks, f huair bks, bu mhbr an t-euchd, 
M robh a thainig as dhiubh, gun a chneas Ikn de chreuchd : 
M' athairse fdin bu mhaith tlachd, neach am bochd riamh nior.eur. 
'TJs nis is deireadh do 'n ghniomh, air Fionn is aithnichte domh sgeul. 

Aithnichte domh sgeul. 



Mar bha caogad laoch garbh, an dkil an arm dha gu lebr, 
Bhitheamaid gun chobhar fo a smachd, do ghabhas uainn a chbir, 
Do bhitheadh an claidheamh gun tochd, a claoidh chorp agus sgiath, 
Co maith chomhrag air mo dheas ni fhaca mi ris air mo r^idh. 
Adhlacar againn aig an eas,. fear bu mhaith treis 'us gniomh, 

2 



i8 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Currir fay ^v^a.ytll gi raoyer fane oyr in uonor mi reitli 

Deyth bleyin zooUe in narm naye in leitli worb nar loyeth in reitli 

M'Morn fa deyiss lamm gai leygiss ag finn ni fleygh. 



Actor hujus Ossane M'finn. 

Sai la guss in dei oy nach vaga mai finn 
Chanaka rem rai sai boo zar lym 
Mak neyn oe heik ree nytli woUych trom 
Meddi is mo raitli mo cheyl is mo clion 
Fa fiUa fa flaa fa ree er girre 
Finn fia re no vane fa treach er gycli ter 
Fa meille mor marre fa lowor er lerg 
Fa shawok glan geith fa seitli er gi carde 
Fa hillanicb carda fa markyth nor verve 
Fa hollow er zneith fa steith er gi sclierm 
Fa fer chart a wrai fa tawicht toye 
Fa hynseitli naige fa bratlia er boye 
Fa hai in tecliter ard er cbalm is er keol 
Fa dwlta nyn dawf o zaik graig ni glar 
A kness mir a galk a zroie mir in ross 
Bi zlan gorm a rosk a bolt myr in tor 
Fa dwle dawf is doouna fa harytli nyn aw 
Fa hollow er znee fa meine ri mnawe 
Fa hai meille mor mak mwrna gi mygh 
Bar lynyth nyn land an cranna os gych ig 
Fa say war in rygh a vodla mor zlass nyth 
Din zort zar zewe terf nocha thra . . . 

brone bane 

. . . er nyth tloye fa bi chroy cham 

Fa chossnw in greit fa vanve ni bann 

Gin dng in flath trechaid cath fa chann 

Er scrattych o zea M'Cowle nor chail 

Id den^ fa zoo ne closs goo na vail 

Ner earne er nach zor air voo ynd 

Cha royve ach re grane re reyve vass a chynu 

Neir aik pest in locht na arrych in noef 

Neryn nyn neve ner varve in ser soyve 

Ne hynasse zneve a beine gin de bra 

Ner ynasse voym trane a voye si waa 

Ach is oik id tarn in dei ind ni vane 

Di quhy less in flath gi math wa na zei 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 19 

Cuirear fa bhrMgh gach meur, fainne oir an onoir mo righ, 

Deich bliadhna dhol an airm nimh, an laoch borb nior lugliaich an righ, 

Mac Moirne fa d' f hios learn, 'ga leigheas aig Fionn nam fleadh. 



Auctor hujus Ossian Mac Fhinn. 

Se la gus an dd, nach f haca mi Fionn, 

Cha-n f haca ri 'm r^ saoi bu gheire learn ; 

Mac nighinn 0' Theige, rigli nam buillean trbm. 

M' end 's mo rath, mo chiall 's mo chon, 

Fa filidh fa flath, fa righ air gheire, 

Fionn flath, righ na Feinn, fa treabhach air gach tir, 

Fa miall mbr mara, fa leobhar air leirg, 

Fa sheabhag glan gaoithe, fa sith air gach ceairde, 

Fa oileanach ceart, fa mairg nior mhearbh. 

Fa uUamh air ghniomh, fa steidh air gach seirm. 

Fa fior ceart a bhreth, fa tkmhaiche tuaith. 

Fa ionnsaichte 'n a aigh, fa brathach air buaidh. 

Fa h-e an teachdair ard, air chalm 'us air cheol, 

Fa ditdtadh nan daimh, dh' f hkg greagh na clkr, 

A chneas mar an cailc, a ghruaidh mar an rbs, 

Bu ghlan gorm a rosg, 'fholt mar an t-br, 

Fa diiil daimh 'us daoine, fa aireach nan kgh, 

Fa uUamh air ghniomh, fa min ri mnathaibh, 

Fa h-e am miall mbr, mac muirne gach magh, 

B' fhear loinneadh nan lann, an crann os gach fiodh. 

Fa saoibhir an righ, a bhotal mor glas, 

D' f hion ghort ghear gharbh, tairbh noch char threa 

broinn bhkih, 

... air an t-sluagh, fa bu chruaidh cheum, 

Fa chosnadh an gniomh, fa Bhanbha bhain, 

Gun d' thug am flath, tricheud cath fa a ceann, 

Air sgraiteach dha, M'Cumhail nior cheil, 

A deir fa a ghb, ni clos gh 'na bheul, 

Ni euradh air ni, fhuair fear Fhionn, 

Cha robh aca ri grdin, righ riamh as a chionn, 

Mor dh' fhkg beist an loch, no nathair an nimh. 

An Eirinn nan naomh, nar mharbh an saor seimh, 

M h-innisinn a ghniomh, a bhithinn gu de bhrath, 

Mor innisinn uam, trian a bhuaidli 's a mhaith, 

Ach is olc a taim, an deigh Fhinn nam F^inn, 

Do chaidh leis an f hlath, gach maith bha 'na dh^igh, 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



Gin angnow in vor gin annith glan geith 
Gin nor in mne ree is gin wre ni leicli 
Is tnrsych id tarn in dei chinni ni gaid 
Is me in crann er creith is me keive er naik 
Is me chnoo clieith is me in teach gin scliraue 
Achadane mi nor is me in toath gin treath 
Is me ossin m'fynn er trane ym zneith 
Nad be voa finn di bi Iwm gi neith 
Vii sliss er j hyg m'kowl gyn blygli 
vii fythit skae diss er gi sliss deu sen 
Kegit ymme oole in dymchale mi ree 
Kegit leicli gin ymzwn sytli gitli ymme zeive 
x*^ pley bane na haUith re boil 
X* urskir gorm x* corn in noor 
Ach bi watli in traive a wag finni ni vane 
Gyn docliil gin drow gyn glw is gyn gley 
Gyn talkis ind er in err za ayne 
Ag dol er gi nae di weith each za rar 
Finn flath in tloye sothran er a lou 
Re nyn wile aig roy zwnni ni ner zwlt 
Ner zwlt finn ree nath ga bi veg a lynn 
Char churre ass i heach nach zor danyth ann 
Math in donna finn math in donna ai 
Noch char helic nath lai zor helic sai, 

Sai. 



A houdir so Allane M'Royree. 

Glennschee in glena so rame heive, a binn feig agus Ion, 

Menik redeis in nane, ar on trath so in dey agon 

A glen so fa wenn Zwlbin zwrm, is haald tulchi fa zran 

Ner wanew a roythi gi dark, in dey helga o Inn ni vane 

Estith beg ma zalew leith a chuddycht cheive so woym 

Er wenn Zwlbin is er inn fail, is er M'ezoynn skayl troyg 

Gur lai finn fa troyg in shelga, er V'ezwn is derk lei 

ZwU di wenn Zwlbin di helga, in tnrkgi nach fadin erm zei 

Lai M'ezwnn narm ay, da bay gin dorchirre in tork 

Gillir royth ba zoiil finn, is sche assne rin do locht 

Er fa harlow a zail, M'ozunn graw nin sgoU 

Ach so in skayll fa tursych mnaan, gavr less di layve an tork. 

Zingywal di lach ni wane, da gurri ea assi gnok 

In schenn tork schee bi garv, di vag ballerych na helve mok 



] THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 

Gun anghnath aoin mhbir, gun eineach glan gaoithe, 

Gun br 'us mnatha rlgh, 's gun bhreith nan laoch. 

Is tuirseach a taim an deigh chinn nan ceud, 

Is mi an crann air clirith, 's mo chiabh do m' fhkg, 

Is mi a chno chith, is mi an t-each gun srian, 

Achadan mi an uair, is mi an tuath gun treabh, 

Is mi Ossian mac Fhinn, air trian de 'm ghniomh, 

An f had bu bheb Fionn, do bu leam gach ni, 

Seachd slios air a thigh, M'Cumhail co fleadh 

Seachd fichead sgiath chleas, air gach slios dhiubh sin, 

Oaogad uidheam olaidh an timchioU mo righ, 

Caogad laoch gun iomagan, anns gach uidheam dhiubh, 

Deich bleidh bkn, 'n a thalla ri 51, 

Deich eascradh gorm, deich corn de 'n hr, 

Ach bu mhaith an treabh, a bh' aig Fionn nam Feinn, 

Gun doichioU gun druth, gun gleois gun gldidh, 

Gun tarchuis ann, air aon f hear dh'a Fheinn, 

Aig dol air gach ni, do bha ckch d'a rdir, 

Fionn flath an t-sluaigh, sothran air a luaidh, 

Righ nan uile aigh, roimh dhuine nior dhiult, 

Nior dhiult Fionn roimh neach, ge bu bheag a loinn. 

Char chuir as a theach, neach dha 'r thainig ann, 

Maith an duine Fionn, maith an duine e, 

Noch char thiodhlaic neach, le dha 'r thiodhlaic se. 



Is e ughdair so Allan Mac Ruaridli. 

Gleannsith an gleann so ri m'thaobh, 's am binne feidh agus loin. 

Is minic a ruitheas an Fheinn, air an t-srath so an deidh an con. 

An gleann so fo Bheinn Ghulbainn ghuirm, a's killidh tulaich fo'n ghrdiii, 

Na struthana a ruith gu dearg, an deidh shealg o Fhionn na Feinn. 

Eisdibh beag mar dh' f halbh laoch, a chuideachd chaoimh so uam. 

Air Bheinn Ghulbain 'us air Fionn fial, 'us air Mac O'Dhuinn, sgeul truagh, 

Gur le Fionn bu truagh an sealg, air Mhac O'Dhuinn a's deirge lith, 

Dhol do Bheinn Ghulbain do shealg, an tuirc nach faodain arm a chaoidh. 

Le Mac O'Dhuinn an airm high, do 'm b'e gun torchradh an tore, 

Geillear roimhe bu dh' fhoill Fhinn, is e esan a rinn do lochd. 

Fhear fa tharladh an gaol, Mac O'Dhuinn gradh nan sgoil, 

Ach so an sgeul fa tursach mnathan, gabhar leis do Ikimh an tore, 

Dionghal do laoch na Feinn, do chuir e as a chnoc, 

An seann tore, is e bu ghairbhe, do f hac ballardaich na h-alla-muic. 



22 THE BOOK OF [ancient.' 

Soeyth finn is derk dreach, fa wenn Zwlbin zlass in telga 

Di fre dimit less in tork, mor in toiga a rin a shelga 

Di clastich cozar ni wane, nor si narm teach fa a cann 

Ersi in a vest o swoyn, is giossis woyth er a gienn 

Ourris ri faggin nin leich, in shen tork scliee er freicli borb 

Bi geyr no ganyth sleygli, bi traneiseygh na gath bolga 

M'ozwnn ni narm geyr, fragor less in na vest oik 

Wa teive reyll trom navynytli gay, currir sleygli in dayl in turk 

Brissir an cran less fa thre, si chran fa reir er in mwk 

In sleygb o wasi waryerka vlaye, rait less noclichar hay na corp 

Targir in tan lann o troyle, di chossin mor loye in narm 

Marviss M'ozunn fest, di hanyth feyn de hess slane 

Tuttis sprocht er Inn ne wane, is soyis sea si gnok 

Makozuun nar dult dayve, oik less a hecht slane o tork 

Er weitli zoyth faddi no host, a dnrt gar wolga ri ray 

Tothiss a zermit o hocht, ga maid try sin tork so id taa 

Char znlt ay achonyth finn oik leinn gin a heacht da hygh 

Toissi tork er a zrum, M'ozunn nach trome trygh 

Toiss na ye reiss, a yermit gi meine a tore, 

Fa lattis troygh ya chinn, a zil nin narm rind gort 

Ymbeis bi hurrus goye, agus toissi zayve in tork 

Gunne i freich neive garve, boonn in leich bi zarg in drod 

Tuttis in sin er in rein, M'O'Zwne nar eyve fealle 

Na la di heive in turk, ach sen ayd zut gi dorve 

A ta schai in swn fa creay, M'O'Zwne keawe in gleacht 

Invakane fuUich ni wane, sin tulli so chayme fa art 

Saywic swlzorme essroye, far la berrit boye gi ayr 

In day a horchirt la tork, fa hulchin a chnokso a taa 

Dermit M'O'Zwne oyill, huttom tra ead nin noor 

Bi gil a wrai no grane, bu derk a wail no blai k . . . 

Fa boe innis a alt, fadda rosk bargian fa lesga 

Gurme agus giassi na hwle, maissi is cassi gowl ni gleacht 

Binnis is grinnis na zloyr, gil no zoid varzerk vlaa 

Mayd agis evycht sin leich, seng is ser no kness bayn 

Coythtyc is maaltor ban, M'O'Zwne bi vor boye 

In turri char hog swle, o chorreich wr er a zroy 

Immir deit eyde is each, fer in neygin creach nar charre 

Gilli a bar gasga is seith, ach troyg mir a teich so glenn. 

Glennschee. 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 23 

Is subhach Fionn a's deirge dreach, fa Bheinn Ghulbaiii ghlais an t seilg, 
Do frith d'imich leis an tore, mbr an t-olc a rinn a shealg, 
Ri clkisdeachd co-ghkir nam Feinn, 'iis an airm teachd fa a cheann, 
Eireas a bheisd 'sliuain, 'us gluaiseas uath air a gbleann, 
Cuireas ri fkgail nan laoch, an seann tore 'us e air friodh borb, 
Bu glidire no gath nan sleagh, bu treine a sliaigh no gath bolga. 
Mac O'Dbuinn nan arm geur, freagras leis a bhdisd ole, 
a thaobb thriall trbm nimhneach gatli, cuirear sleagh an dMl an tuirc, 
Brisear a crann leis fa thri, 's i a erann fa r^ir air a mhuc, 
An t-sleagh bhos bhkrdhearg bhlaith, rait leis noch char e 'n a chorp. 
Tarruingear tan lann d, truaill, do choisinn mbr bhuaidh nan arm, 
Marbhas M'O'Dhuinn a bhdisd, do thainig e fhein as slkn. 
Tuiteas sprochd air Fionn na Feinn, 'us suidheas e 's a chnoc ; 
Mac O'Dhuinn nach do dhiult daimh, olc leis a thighinn slkn o'n tore. 
Air bin dha fada 'n a thosd, a dubhairt, ge b'ole ri rkdh, 
Tomhais, a Dhiarmaid 'shoe, cia meud troidh 's an tore a ta. 
Char dhiult e achuinge Fhinn, olc leinn gun a theaehd d'a thigh, 
Tomhaisidh an tore air a dhruim, Mae O'Dhuinn nach trbm troidh. 
Tomhais 'n a aghaidh a ris, A Dhiarmaid gu min an tore, 
Fa leat is truagh dha ehinn, a ghille nan arm roinn ghoirt. 
Imicheas, bu thurus goimh, agus tomhaisidh dhoibh an tore, 
Guinidh a f hriogh nimh garbh, bonn an laoieh bu gharbh 'an trod. 
Tuiteas 'an sin air an raon, M'O'Dhuinn nior aoibh feall ; 
'N a luidh do thaobh an tuirc, ach sin e dhuit gu doirbh ; 
A ta se an sin fa ehreuchd, M'O'Dhuinn caomh an gleachd ; 
Aon mhaean fulangach nam Fiann, 's an tulach so chi 'm fa ard, 
Seabhag stilghorm Easruaidh, fear le 'm beireadh buaidh gach air 
An ddigh a thorchairt le tore, fa thulchain a ehnuie so a ta. 
Diarmaid M'O'Dhuinn aibheil, a thuiteam troimh end an bir. 
Bu ghile a bhru no gr^in, bu deirg a bheul no blkth . . . 
Fa buidhe innis a f holt fad, rosg bar ghlan fa liosg, 
Guirm 'us glaise 'n a shiiil, maise 'us caise ciil nan cleachd, 
Binneas 'us grinneas 'n a ghlbir, gile 'n a dhbid bhkr-dhearg bhlkth^ 
Meud agus difeachd 's an laoch, seang 'us saor fo a chneas bkn, 
Cothaich 'us mealltair bhan, M'O'Dhuinn bu mhbr buaidh, 
An thi cha thog a shiil, chorruieh tir air a ghruaidh, 
Immirdieh fhaoghaid 'us each, fear an digin chreach nar char, 
Gille b' fhearr gaisge 'us sith, ach truagh mar a theich 's a ghleann. 

Gleannsith. 



24 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



A houdir so seiss Allan M'Eoyre. 

Mor in noclit my chow feyn a halgin a ta zim rair 

Re smeinten a cliaa chroy huggemir is carbrytli cranroy 

A maksen chormik ochwnni merga in nayn harlyth fa chung 

Reith gin chass vin chaatli di cliurri ris gin zrane royth boe 

Kailswm gith oUith fame hwnni inni is clanni keive chwnn 

Guss wyve sen charbre roye nir smeine seine oik na anweine 

Di chan carbryth ranyth loyeth agus di be in nellith chroye 

Gir bar less twttwm er mygh agus in nane la cheille 

Nassytb reithre wea \ir agus in nane a weitli er neiTin 

Di clian barrin gi prap cwneich mwkre agis art 

Fir sinsir huttwm in sin di wreith fellith ni faynitb 

Cwneich a gessith chroye is cwneich in non oywir 

Is nach reym cogeith rame linni ach na hoggeith vakkowle 

Ba corle clonni cwne agus carbre a lay trome 

Ead feyne a hawrt dar ginni agus sinni di zochin 

Gow marreith na zey wleyg is gin nane a weith in nalwin 

Is weadeist baiss fa zoem tra nach bedeis in mir zlee 

Hng sen gi feich fergich in cathsin cacht zawraa 

Di hut in nane bonni ri bonni is reithre olsa errin 

Ne roygh o nynea nor gow fodleith earra in doythin 

In reith nach roygh far smaclit rar linni gwss a chaa sen a halgin. 

ehurre an sen r nar ner zoive rwneni keiss na kayn 

Is ne roye ag dwn keith rwn ach far gwde di zea nerrin 

Ymmi er fey in doyn worre nach lar wey in dey in tloye 

M fonyeith la er lai a huttym la ny cheillith 

Da deg feith awlwarreith in sen orrew in nerrin eazlyn 

Ossin cred a zaneith finni agus ersemi far nerrin 

Er a lave a cleyrre chaye ne royith si vanve vane 

Beggane di leichre erse agus ogre gin darve 

Ga bea reith heyssyth in sin zoive sai fodleith in nasgeith 

Gin cath gin nirril gin nawg gin none gin achassen 

Churr sin ir techta sorgow faa mayk v° conni 

Di hoith orrin nar genni di zoweU reithreith errin 

Mor in tysin dymith orweith a reith taureith fa mo torm 

Twlleith owyr a tug gow dul di warwa er ollea 

Ossin innis doive skail nor chorsew in nirril trane 

Nor hutyth di waksi si chaa na drwg tow er er lawryth 

Oskin mi vec osgir ayen hanyth miss er curreith in nar a 

Id tanik keiltyth er sen oskir a hechtir clynni 

Hanik in roze boa zar weane woskin in garrith dyth feyn 



I 



THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 25 



An t-uglidair so sios, Allan Mac Euaraidh. 

Mbr an nochd mo chumha fein a thailginn a tha do 'm rdir, 

Ri smuaintinn a chatha chruaidh thugamar 'us Carbair crann ruaidh, 

Am mac sin ChormaigO'Chuinn, mairg an flieadhan a tharladh fo 'chuing, 

Rigli gun chks 'n chath do chuireadh leis gun ghrain roimh beothaibh, 

Cheangladh sinn gach uile Fiann, thun Fhinn 'us cloinne caoimh Chuinn, 

Gus do bhi sin Carbair ruadh, nior smuainich sinn olc no ainmbein. 

Do chan Carbair ris an t-sluagh, agus do b 'e an ealaidh chruaidh, 

Gur b' f hearr leis tuiteam air magh, agus an Fheinu le chdile, 

No na righre bhi fa uir, agus an Fheinn a bhi air Eirinn. 

Do chan Barruinn gu prap, cuimhnich Mucraidh agus Art, 

Bhur sinnsreadh thuiteam an sin, de bhreith foill na Feinn, 

Cuimhnich na geasan chruaidh, 'us cuimhnich an on uamhor, 

'TJs nach robh aon chogadh ri 'm linn, ach na thog Mac Cumhail. 

B'e comhairle chlanna Chuinn, agus Charbair na laimhe truime, 

lad Mn a thabhairt do 'r cinn, agus sinne a dhochainneadh, 

Gu maireadh 'n a dheidh fleadh, 'us gun Fheinn a bhi 'n Almhainn, 

'TJs bhitheas bks fa dhiomb, an trath nach bitheas ann mar dhlighe. 

Thug sinn gu fiadhaich feargach, an cath sin cath Ghabhra. 

Do thuit an Fheinn bonn ri bonn 'us righre uasal Eirinn. 

Ni robh 'n Innia an ear, gu Fodla iar an domhain, 

Aon righ nach robh fo 'r smachd, r 'ar linn gus a chath sin, a thailginn ; 

chuireadh an sin ar n-kr nior ghabh dhuinn cis no ckin, 

'Us ni robh aig duine cith ruinn ach far cuid de dh' iath an Eirinn, 

lomadh bhi air feadh an domhain mhoir nach Ikthair bhi an deigh an 

Ni faoin lamh air laimh a thuiteam le na chdile, [t-sloidh. 

Da tig fiadhaich almharaich an sin orra 'an Eirinn iath-ghlan. 

Ossiain, creud a dheanadh Fionn, agus iarsma far an Eirinn ? 

Air a laimh a chldirich chaidh, ni robh 's a Bhanbha bhkin, 

Beagan de laochraidh arsaidh agus oigridh gun dearbhadh ; 

Ge b' e righ a sheasadh an sin gheabhadh se Fodla an nasgaidh. 

Gun chath, gun iorghuill, gun agh, gun on, gun achmhasan. 

Chuir sinn ar teachta saor gu fkth Mac mhic Cuinn. 

Do chaidh uainn 'n ar cinn do ghabhail righre Eirinn, 

Mor an tigh sin d' imich oir bha righ Teamhra fa mbr toirm, 

Tuilleadh aobhar a tug gu dol a mharbhadh ar n-uile. 

Ossian, innis doibh sgeul 'n uair chuir sibh an iorghuill threun, 

'N uair thuit do mhac-sa 's a chath, an do rug thu air a labhradh ? 

Os cionn mo mhic Osgair aine thainig mis air cur an kir, 

Do thainig Caoilte air sin oscionn a sheachdnar cloinne, 

Thainig na robh beb de 'r Feinn os cionn an cairdean fein, 



26 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Drong zoe lawrrit or sin is weith drong ellith giu armyn 

A cleyrreith na baichil bane ga bea zeith chewith in toyr 

Byth vor in troye rar lin olsa erriu cli hwttim 

Ymmeith caithraa codeith keive ymmi loereitli heith lier 

Ymmeith skaith liarsi si wygb agus a trea gin armin 

Cba dewitb sin din tloyg mini baale er in roygh boye 

Cha dwg sin lynni ass a cbaa ach feve reitli na ardlacht 

Sanni a hor mo mi wag feyn na lea er a wllin claa , 

Is skaa nawriss er in layr agus a lanni na zess lawe I 

Donnwl allith er gith lea dea er bley a looreicba 

Leggwm erla mi ley re lar is di bi rynis oss a chinni tawe 

Sminum a healgin er sen cred a zanvin na zeye 

Di liillith osgir rwmsyth soss agus bi lor lam a chross 

Di hein a liwggwm a laave er wayn er ym clioaailli 

Di zoyve may lawe mi vec feyn is dyth hoeis ranytli crea 

Is aon tw sin a lea char churreis caiss sin teil 

Hurrt rwmsytli mi wak farryth agus a nar armyth 

A woe riss ni dwUw sin di wesith slane a aytbir 

Ne zanwmsyth zewsytbt gaeth ne roe aggwm fregreith zoe 

Gin danik keilt worsin buggin a zeyzin oskir 

A dowirt mak ronane in nawe ach keynis tazes a zrawg 

A tame er oskir mir is dlee dul a gowar sell awzeive 

Crachtea sley carbre roye fa ymlin oskir armroye 

Lawe clieilt ga wllin doe reach in greachte nyth sley 

Sirris keiita a knee er choyr id toyr a inni na zoee 

It toyr a zrwme crechti kyn er a zerre din zorley 

Skreddis makronane sin agus tuttis gow talwin 

Id dowirt keiltyth ym meille trane er weith zoe er tryle in dyvenail 

Feiraue sen a oskir aile a skarris ranyth wane 

Is skar raa caath ra fynni bae in keiss ag sell mor chwne 

Gerrit a weith zone mir sin a vec alpin a chlericli 

Gi waka a huggin wo nar ne roye boea zanew phail 

Feichit keaid zonyth mir sin eddr ogre is arse 

Ne roowe dwne slane dew sin aggin din neychit cadsin 

Ach fer ix gonni gi reive fath low ag gin di chreactew 

Togmir in tosgir arne er chrannew sley in nardew 

Bermoyn e gu tuUych zlin dyth howirt dea a heydyth 

Lead nyth bossyth zane chorp cha royve slane wo na alt 

Na gi ryg a wonyth lar ach a ygh na hynirrane 

In nyith sin dwn sin naar geiUingua churp gow laa 

Gir hogsin clan v'' ne finni er chnokew ard evin 

Neyr choueith neach a v'' fen nir chein a wrar fa zeyth 

Re fegsin me vecsi mir sen kaach wllyth a kenyth oskir 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 27 

Droing dhiubh labhradar sin 'us blii droing eile gun anamain. 

A cbleirich a bhachuil blikin, ge bith do chitheadh an t-kr, 

Bu mhbr an tmaigbe ri 'r linn uailse Eirinn do thuiteam. 

lomadh cobhra codat caomh, iomadh luireach shitheach shaor 

lomadh sgiatb tharsna 's a mhagh, agus a triath gun anamain, 

Cha dubhach sin do 'n t-sluaigh mar a b' M air an robh buaidh, 

Cha tug sinn leinn as a chath ach faoibh righ no ardlaoich. 

'S ann a fhuair mi mo mhac Mn 'n luidhe air 'uilinn ell, 

A sgiath 'n a bhris air an Ikr, agus a lann 'n a dheas laimli, 

De 'n fhuil aille air gach letii, d'iadh air blaghaibh a luirich, 

Leigeam earrlinn mo shleidh ri \kr agus rinneas os a chionn tkmh, 

Smuaineam a thailginn air sin creud a deanainn 'n a dlieigh, 

Do thill Osgar riurnsa suas agus bu lebr learn a ehrois, 

Do sliin e ttiugam a l^mh air mhiann air mo clibmlidliail, 

Do ghabh mi Ihmh. mo mhie fdin 'us do thugas ika cruaidh, 

'Us an taobh sin a leth nior ehuireas eks 's an t-saoghal, 

Thubhairt riumsa mo mhae fdin fear agus e an oir anamainn, 

Fo ris na dtiilibh sin do bhi-sa slku a athair, 

Ni dheanaimse innseadh glib, ni robh agam freagradh dha, 

Gu 'n tainig Caoilte mbr sin thugainn a dh' f haicinn Osgar. 

A dubhairt Mac Ronain an aigh, ach cionnus tathas, a ghrkidh ; 

A tathaim ar' Osgar mar is dlighe 'dol an comhar saoghail aighe, 

Chreuchd sleadh Charbair ruaidh fa imlinn Osgair armruaidh, 

Lamh Chaoilte gu 'uilinn do rach an creuchdaibh na sleigh, 

Sireas Caoilte an eneadh air choir, do fhuair gach ni 'na dhoigh. 

Do fhuair a dhruim creuchta glan air a ghearradh le 'gheur shleadh. 

Sgreadas Mac Ronain an sin agus tuiteas gu talmhainn ; 

Do thubhairt Caoilte am milidh treun air bhi dha air triall an dubh neul, 

Firinn sin a Osgar ail a sgarras ri na Feinn, 

'Us sgaraidh cath ri Fiannaibh, bithidh an cis aig siol mbr Chuinn. 

Goirid a bhi dhuinn mar sin a Mhic Alpain, a chldirich, 

Gu facadh thugainn 'n kr na robh beb de Fhiannaibh Fail, 

Fichead ceud dhaoine mar sin eadar oigridh 'us krsaidh ; 

Ni robh duine slkn diubh sin againn de 'n fhichead ceud sin, 

Ach fear naoi guine gu nimh, fath lugh aig gun de chreuchdadh. 

Togamar an t-Osgar arnaidh, air chrannaibh sleidh an kirde, 

Beirminn e gu tulach ghrinn, do thabhairt dheth '^ideadh ; 

Lend a bhoise dhe 'n chorp cha robh slkn 'fholt. 

No gu. ruig a bhuinn Ikr ach 'aghaidh 'n a h-aonaran ; 

An inigh, 's an diiin, 's an kra, geilleachdainn d'a chorp gu la, 

Gur thog sinn clann Mhic na Feinn, air chnocaibh ard aoibhinn, 

Nior chaoin neach a mhac fdin, nior chaoin a bhrkthair fa dheoigh, 

Ri faicsinn mo mhacsa mar sin, ckch uile a caoineadh Osgair. 



28 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Gerrit a wee zown mir sin er curryth in a churp cheive zil 

Gow vaka chuggin fa nona fin m'kowle vie tranevor 

Gow dugsidir annsyth nar drane boe di zanew plial 

Er fyail clynni boissni neyr fa chassil chroo sin nirril 

Di bi roye baekeith ni werri agus skranil ni meillytli 

Gow vaggi sin merga finni re cranni sley voss er gin 

Hugsaid huggin assin nar di hug sin na goaill 

Di vannych sinn uUytli zinni agis char reggir a sinni 

DuUi er in tuUych na rane far in rowe oskir armzar 

Nor a wowych oskir finni er tocht daa voss a chinni 

Togissa nye neaclila is bannythchis da hanathir 

Id dowirt in tosgir in sin re m'murnaitli sin nor sin 

Mi chin fest riss in naik er haggin a inni armzar 

Troyg a oskir arne a zey v° mo v° syth fen 

Miss er a zey is fanne is er dye fane errin 

Mallych art in r gym moye sai sa dwe tanyth reym loyith 

Di leon a orrwm a her na gi reach ma in noeneith 

Slane wome a zirril is di zawe slane di gi keiss di hoikwail 

Slane di gi math woym in nossa ach ne waym zin chomso 

Re clastin kelwein nyth finni a arrwm a hosgir zi ling 

Di hein a woa in dai lawe is di zea a rosga rinwlaa 

Di hynta finni runna a chwle di hilla deara gow dour 

Ach fa osgir is fa wranna cha drin sai dar er taivin 

Ach missi wane agis fin ne royve a zayn woss a chin 

Hug ait tree zayryth sin noyr a class fa errin awoyr 

Coyk fichit kead x is deich kead er in goayrren zin fen 

Wa din nam marve er a wygh gyn nane dwn za essen 

A zaa urdill sin is ne goe is reith errin skail fa moe 

Wa marve er in teive ellith di loyg errin armylin 

Neyn roye finni swUor na saive o hen gow hyig a wass 

Woyn zloossin ne far da less reithre wea zi werrin 

Woyn chath sen cath zawryth noch cha drone ma tyn nawryth 

Cha rowe in oor roea na loo nar leg maa ossni Ian wor 

Mor noch. 



A lioudir so seis Farris filli. 

Ard agne zwUe, fer coggi finn 
Leich loyvir loonn, owil ne timmi 
Seir anich soss, ser snaig heive 
Murrich er sloyg, goole crowich keive 
Mak mornyth marri, fa croith in goll 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 2c 

Goirid a bhi dhuinn mar sin, air curaidh a chuirp chaoimh ghil, 

Gu facadh thugain fa nbin, Fionn mac Ciimhail mhic Threinmlioir. 

Gu tugsidear anus an kr trian beb de dh' Fhiannaibh Fail, 

Air faighail clanna Boisgne an iuir fa chaiseal chrb 's an iorghuil ; 

Do bu ro bhacacb. na fir agns grMneil na milidh ; 

Gu faca sinn meirghe Fhinn, ri crann sleidh os ar cionn, 

Tliugsaid thugainn as an ^r ; do tliug sinn 'n a comhdhail, 

Do bheannaich sinn uile dh' Fhinn agus char fhreagair e sinn, 

'Dol air tulach nan treun, far an robh Osgar armgheur, 

'JST uair a mhothaich Osgar Fionn air teachd da os a chionn, 

Togas an aghaidh neochlaon, 'us beannaicheas d' a sheanathair. 

A dubhairt an t- Osgar an sin, ri Mac Muirne 's an uair sin, 

Mo chion feasd ris an eug air f haicinn a Fhinn airmgheir, 

Truagh, a Osgair arnaidh a dheadh mhic mo mhic-sa fein, 

Mise air a dheigh is fann, 'us air deigh Feinn Eirinn, 

Mallachd ort a fhir co 'm buaidh 's e is duibh thaiuig ri m' shluagh, 

Do lean e orm o shear, na gu rachadh mi an aonach, 

Slkn nam do iarghuil 's do kgh, slan do gach cis a thogail, 

Slan do gach maith nam a nis, ach na faigheam de 'n chom so, 

Ri clMstinn caolmhuinn Fhinn, an arraing Osgar do ling, 

Do shin e uaith a dha lamh 'us do dh' iath a rosg roinnbhlath. 

Do thionndadh Fionn ruinn a chiil, do shileadh dheur gu diir ; 

Ach fa Osgar 'us fa Bhran, cha d' rinn se deur air talmhainn, 

Ach mise mhain agus Fionn ni robh de dh' Fheinn os a chionn. 

Thug iad tri gh^ir 's an uair, a chlos fa Eirinn aghmhor. 

Cuig fichead ceud, deich 'us deich ceud air an comhaireimh dhinn fdin, 

Bha de 'n Fheinn marbh air a mhagh, gun aon duine dheth easbhuidh, 

A dha iirdail sin 'us ni gh 'us Righ Eirinn sgeul fa mo, 

Bha marbh air an taobh eile, do shluagh Eirinn arm-ghrinn, 

Ni robh Fionn suilbhir no seimh, o sin gu theachd a bhMs ; 

O 'n ghleb sin ni^fearda leis, righrean bhi a dhith fearainn. 

'n chath sin cath Ghabhra nocha d' rinn mi treun labhradh, 

Cha robh an uair riamh no lo, nar leig mi osnadh Ian mhbr. 

Mbr an nochd. 



Is e ughdair so sios Ferglms Filidh. 

Ard aigne Ghuill, fear cogaidh Fhinn, 
Laoch leobhar lonn, 'fhoghail nach tioma 
Saor eineach suas, saor snaidheach a thaobh, 
Murrach air sluagh, GoU cruthach caomh, 
Mac Moirne mear, fa crodha an goil, 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



A clew fa schen, far geinnoU sen 
Reith fiimith fayl, ne timmi glor 
Ne seywe a chail, leicli eyve mor 
Noor heyd a gayth, rayme flath feicli 
Ga meine a chness, ne in tass in neith 
A waid ne i myn, oosi geagi torri 
Say is glenny gen, eyddi ni skoU 
Ooss barri benn, errir sen rynn 
Fa heggill lenn, a hagri hecht rinu 
Derrim rwfc a inn, na diillis noonn 
Di warr agii zwle, liagui gi tromm 
Gin chnr ra wath, si catli ne in doe 
Inseich chaytli, kinseleicb sloe 
A anich ne min, fuUicb in fer 
Dossi ni skoU, ossil a zen 
Wrrik a loeg, torvirdycb fayll 
A throst caytli is boyn, foss flath a chayl 
Dwn na olt, a wrunni mir clielk 
Wmlane mi chorp, lomlane da herk 
Memnyclit a weiss, dalweich a znwss 
Ne elle re ooss gowle, ne chell ort a inn 
Tress ni doon, a zasga zrin 
FlaaoU foss, daythoU a kness 
Er zoole ne cless, ne slim er hass 
Broontych a zale, convycli a royr 
Ferriddi mein, melleddi moyr 
Da rayth gi brayth, aw agis eich 
Nawch ri cayth, lawch a leich 
Claa ebonis woyn, sonnis ni wayue 
Monmurrycbt coyn, illericbt dane 
Loyvin er aw, croyth na grewith 
Loyvir a layve, royg ni reith 
Sonnis ni rowd, sollis a zaid 
Curris say layve, gycb trayn da wayd 
Boyn rowni a nir, boy corrik er 
Leydwich a zolli, egni in sterr 
Leicli cwnych loonn, neawnycli la lynn 
Targissi goole, argissiclit lynui 
Leich arm mar, fargycht ra chin 
Colg convych er, onchon er zoU 
Fer zalle ni gonn, royt zraw ni ban 
Beith dawe gin non, di znaa na zarr 
La beowe rod, a rot ne in tlaa 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 31 

A chliii fa seaD, fear geanail sin 

Rigli feinnidli fial, ni tioma gloir, 

Ni 'n saobli a chiall, laocli aoibhidh mor, 

'N uair theid an cath, reim flath fioch, 

Ge min a chneas, ni 'n taise 'an ni, 

A mheiid ni mion, os geug an toradh, 

'S e is gloinne gean, oide nan sgoil, 

Os barraibh bheann, eirear 's an raoin. 

Deirim riut a Fliinn, na triallas nunn, 

Do fearr eagal Ghuill, aigne ge trom, 

Gun chuireas ri mhaith, 's a chath ni 'n doigh, 

lonnsaidheach caidli, ceannsalacli sloigli, 

A eineach ni mion, fuileach am fear, 

Toiseach nan sgoil, uasail a gliean, 

Oirdhearc a sliluagh, toirbheartach fiall^ 

A throsd cath is buan, os flatli a chiall, 

Donn 'n a fholt, a bhronn mar cliailc, 

lomlan m'a chorp, lomlan de sheirc, 

Eire fa chis, bu choir dba cbuis, 

Meanmnach a bhitheas, dealbliacli a ghniiis, 

Ni bheil righ os GoU, ni cheil ort a Fhinn ; 

Treise nan tonn, a ghaisge ghrinn, 

Flathail f bs, dathail a chneas. 

Air Gholl nan cleas, ni sliom air theas, 

Bronntach a dhMl, confhadhach a threbir, 

Fearanta min, mileanta mbr, 

Do rait gu brkth, 'agh agiis 'fhioch, 

Mmheach ri ckch, Ikmhach an laoch, 

Cleith chonus bhuan, son as 'na mhein, 

Monamarrach cuain, iorghuileach dian, 

Leomhan air agh, crodha 'n a ghniomh 

Leobhar a Ikmh, roghadh nan righ, 

Sonas 'n a rbd, solus a dheud, 

Cuireas se lebn, gach treun dha mheud, 

Buan reim an f hir, buaidh comhraig air, 

Leidmheach a ghoile, eagnaidh a stair, 

Laoch guineach lonn, nimhneach fa lainn, 

Tarchuiseach Goll, argaiseach leinn, 

Laoch arnaidh mear, feargach r'a chion, 

Colg confhadhach air, onchu air ghoil, 

Fearghail nan con, roghadh ghrkidh nam ban, 

Bithidh daimh gun on, do ghnMh 'n a ghoire, 

Le 'm bitheadh an rbd, a rbd ni 'n tEth, 



32 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Meith ni grayth, a zraytli fa blaa 
Seyor a chrow, awzor a rath 
Ne in tranith shrew, na reym in gayth 
Math morn is dane, fa orryth a zoyl 
Innoyr a zloyr, beith woyn a chrayn 
Trayth marri mer, fayle ferri a chorri 
Gin tayr na zerr, a zaille er forri 
Mak teadis cheiwe, nach tregi dawe 
Gin choggi reith, nar laggi a layve 
Oowir a cholk, is borbe a zloa 
Nor erris arg, trane shelga zea 
A v^' cowle zrinn, coythwil ess gyle 
See boynych di zoell, gin noa gin nawle 
In ness rame lay, a zuayn zoo 
Werrin g;n chelga, trayn selga zoo 
Ni twUi a ann, far nass i gor 
Graw tenni inn, trane chon a zooll 
Treg heich a zwle, be ^eichith ronn 
Nad ray gin ving, trane feich finn 
Zoywidsi sinni, arriss a ayll 
Is skeil mi zroym, ne wor mi wane 
Carri gin kelg, bail tanni derg 
Anich si low, a clow oss ard. 

Ard agni zwl. 



A lioudir so Farris Filli. 

Innis donn a earris ille feynni errin 

Kynis tarle zevin in gath zawrych ni bejnnin 

Ne math v'kowle mo skael o chath zawrich 

Cha warr oskyr invin hug mor coskir calm 

Cha warr seachta vec keilt na gasre fean alwe 

Di hut oyk ni feani inn in eadyth arrych 

Di marwe m'lowith si vi mek sin tathryth 

Di hut oyk ni halvin di marwa feyn brettin 

Di hut m^' re lochlin fa linnyth veith chonyth 

Bi chre fael farri bi lawe chalma in gonyth 

Innis doif a ille m*^ mo vec is marrwm 

Kynis di we oskyr scolta ni gathwarri 

Bi zekkir a innis di bi vor in nobbir 

Ne royve marve sin gath sen hut la armow oskyr 

Ne loyth ess oyvin na seaywok re eltow 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 33 

Meath 'n a ghruaidli, a ghruaidh fo bhlMh, 

Seangmhor a chruth, aghmlior a rath, 

Nin treine srutli, no 'reim an cath, 

Mac Moirne is ddne, fa orra a chuala, 

lonmhuinn a glilbire, bu bliuan a ghreann, 

Triatb mbra mear, fiall fior a chor. 

Gun tair 'n a ghoire, a dh^il air foir, 

Mac teadaidh caomh, nach trdigeadh daimh, 

An cogadh righ, nior lag a Ikmh, 

Uamhor a cholg, is borb a glileb, 

'N uair dh' eireas 'fhearg trian sealga dha. 

A Mhic Cumhail gbrinn, comhail 'us geall, 

Sith bliuan do GhoU, gun fhuatli gun f lieall. 

An nis ri 'm la a gheibliinn dbomh, 

Bheirinn gun chealg, trian sealga dha, 

Ni tuilleadh dlieth ann, f hir an taise a 'm ghoire 

Grkdh teann Fhinn, trian chon do GholL 

Treig fioch, a Ghuill, bi sitheil ruinn, 

'N ad rd gun mheang, trian fiodh Fhionn, 

Ghabhaidse sin, a Fherghuis aille, 

Do sgaoil mo ghruaim, ni mair mo mhiann. 

Charaid gun chealg, beul tana dearg, 

'Eineach 's a lugh, a chliil os aird. 

Ard aigne Ghuill. 



Is e uglidair so Ferghus Filidli. 

Innis duinn a Fherghuis, fhilidh Feinn Eirinn, 

Cionnus tharladh dhuinn, an cath Ghabhra nam beuman, 

Ni maith Mhic Cumhail, mo sgeul chath Ghabhra, 

Cha mhair Osgar ionmhuinn, thug mbr chosgar chalma, 

Cha mhair seachd mhic Chaoilte, no gasraidh Fiann Almhuin, 

Do thuit oige na Feinn, ann an eideadh airich. 

Do marbh Mac Luighich, is sd mic sin d' athar, 

Do thuit oige na h- Almhuin, do marbh Feinn Bhreatuin, 

Do thuit Mac righ Lochlainn, fa leinne a bhi a cbmhnadh, 

Bha 'chridhe fial fearail, bha 'lamh calm an cbmhnuidh, 

Innis doibh, a fhilidh, mac mo mhic 'us mo run, 

Cionnus do bhi Osgar, 'sgoltadh nan cathbharr. 

Bu dheacair a innseadh, do bu mhbr an obair, 

Na robh marbh 's a chath sin, a thuit le armaibh Osgair ; 

Ni luaithe eas aimhne no seabhag_ri ealtaibh. 



34 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Na re vwnni sroyth na oskyr sin gath sin 
Weith say ma zerri mir willitli ra trane zeitli 
Na mir chran voass ewee si wew gi a nauetee 
Hug oskyr na chonew mir harwe twnni traa 
Mir chonnik sen carbre di chraa in tlye liantych 
Gir chur treith a cMnnbir gir bea in couva cadna 
Ner impoo sin oskyr gin dranyth re errin 
Gin dug beym gin deicliill gir zoichin ay garlyn 
Bollis art mac carbre er in darna bull 
Sawle a weith in fer sin si winn reith urn 
Is mi ferris fiUi dar hwil gycli innis 
Troyg er essui feynith my skeall re innis. 

Innis. 



Gilcallum m'ynnoUaig in turskail so seiss. 

Di choala ma fad o lien skail di voneis re cowe 

Is traa za haythris gow trome gata mir anneiss orrinn 

Gianni rowre ni braa mawle fa ckonclior is fa chonuil 

Di bur low oyg err wyg er hurlar cbogew uUytht 

Ga hygh ne lianik ma genu fa ullyth leickre vanva 

Oath ag waall innoyr ellytk dar zymone clannyth rowre 

Hanik hukkith borbe a reith ir gurre croith connleich 

A zis ni mur glarrith grinn oo zown skayth gow errinn 

Di lawir conch owr re caach ca zoveniyn chon in naglath 

Di wrea beacht nyn skaillith zaa gr teachta la harreith woa 

Glossis connil nar lag lawe di wrea skailleith din vackein 

Er darve torrin din leich cayvelir connil laa connleich 

Ner zoive in leich ra lawyth connil freich forranych 

Cayd dar sloyg di cawleith less aygnyth is bone ri haythris 

Curreith teachtir canni ni conni woo hardre ayngneith ulleith 

Gow down dalgin zranyth zlyin sen down gaylith ni geill 

Woyn down sin di loyr linni di zangnowne neyn orginn 

Teggowss gneive nyn serrith sange gow reith feiltyth ny warrinn 

Dissrych sloyg ullith oynnyth teiggowss kow ni creive roye 

Mak dettin o zoyg mir howe nar ettee teacht dor gowir 

Faddeith or chonchowr riss in gon wayghiss gin teacht dar gowir 

Is connil surrych nyn stead marryth in gv/rych is keada dor sloygh 

Deakir zoiss wee ym bred a ir churre er charrit 

Ne in raith dole in ayngnyth a lanni si taa lar chawleith connil 

Na smein gin dole na zye a re ni gormlann granole 



RN.l THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 35 

No ruitli buinne srutha, no Osgar 's a cliath sin. 

Bha se mu dheireadh, mar dhuille ri treiin ghaoith, 

No mar chrann uas eabhaidh, 's a bhitheadh 'g a shnaigheadh. 

Mar chunnaic righ Eirinn, beb air Ikr a chath, 

Thug Osgar 'n a choinnimh, mar gharbh tuinne traigh, 

Mar chunnaic sin Cairbar, do chrath an t-sleagh shanntach, 

Gur chuir troimhe a cheann bir, gur b'e an cumha ceudna. 

Nior iompaich sin Osgar, gun d' rMnig Righ Eirinn, 

Gun d' thug beum co 'n diehioU, gu 'r dhochainn e geurlann ; 

Bualas Art mac Charbair air an darna buille. 

Is amhuil a bhi am fear sin, 's a bhinn righ uime. 

Is mi Ferghus Filidh da 'r shiubhail gach innis, 

Truagh tareis na Feinn, mo sgeul r'a innis. 

Innis. 



Gillecallum Mac an OUaimh an t-ursgenl so sios. 

Do chuala mi fad shean, sgeul do bhuineas ri cumha, 

Is trkth dha 'aithris gu trom, ge ta mar ainneas oirnne, 

Clann Rughraidh nam breth mall fa Chonchoir 'us fa Chonnuil, 

Do b'urlaimh oigfhir 's a mhagh air h-miar Choige TJUaidh, 

G'a thigh na thainig le gean fa uile laochraidh Bhanbha, 

Cath aig faighail aon uair eile, de 'r dh' iomghuin clanna Rughraidh. 

Thainig thugainn, borb a f hraoch, an curaidh crodha Conlaoch, 

A dh' fhios ni m 'ar claraibh grinn, o Dhunsgathaich gu Eirinn. 

Do labhair Conchoir ri ckch, Co a gheibheamar thun an oglaich. 

Do bhreth beachd no sgeul dheth, gun teachd le euradh uaith 1 

Gluaiseas ConuU nior lag lamh do bhreth sgeul de 'n mhacan. 

Air dearbhadh tarruing do'n laoch ceaiigailear Conull le Conlaoch, 

Nior ghabh an laoch r'a tamhachd, Conlaoch fraochach furanach, 

Ceud de'r sluagh do cheangladh leis, ioghnadh 'us buan ri aithris. 

Cuirear teachdair gu ceann nan con h-ardrigh eagnaidh Ullaidh, 

Gu Dundealgain grianach glan seann dim ciallach nan Gaidheal, 

O'n dim sin do leughar leinn do dh' eangnamh nighean Fhorgainn. 

Thigeas gniomh nan saora seang gu righ faoilteach na fearainn, 

Do fhiosrachadh sluaigh Ullaidh uaiue, thigeas Cu na craoibhe ruaidh, 

Mac deud-f hionn a ghruaidh mar shiigh nar eitich tighinn dh 'ar cobhar. 

Fad ars' Conchor ris a choin bhathas gun teachd d' ar cobhar, 

Is Connuil suireach nan steud mear 'an cuibhreach 'us ceud d' ar sluagh. 

Deacair dhomhsa bhi 'am bruid a fhir a chobharas air caraid, 

Ni 'n reidh dol an eangnamh a lainn 's a ta le 'r cheangladh Conull. 

Na smuanaich gun dol 'n a aghaidh, a righ nan gormlann graineil, 



36 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

A lawe croy gin lagga re nacht smoyn er heddytli is a gwreith 
CowchuUin uyn sann lanni sleim noar a cboala turyth connil 
Di zlossa la trane a lawe di wraa skaiUe dyn wackawe 
Tnnis downi er tocht id zailli a raig in tow nar ob tegwail 
A liss raa in nawryth zoe fiss tarm ka di zowchiss 
Dym zaissew er teacht worn hey gin skaili a zinsi zoew 
Da ninsin di neach elli id zraith zinsin dare 
Corrik rymsith is egin dud na skail ainsyth mir cbarrit 
Gawsith zi royg a keyv lag ne gail tyigil vin cborrik 
Ach na wea gne digliow nargenn a honchow aw ne herriii 
A lawe zasga in dowss trot mo clow wea in nasge aggit 
Heymon and dyr ebon a cbaill ni ta corrik a vanvaill 
Na makan di tor a zwn in daltan croye layveitb 
CowcbuUin is corrik croye di wee in lay sen fa zemoye 
A invak di marwe less in ter lat cbalm coive zlass 
Innis downni er cowe ni glass o teitb fest for naildeis 
Tarm is di lonni gi lom na terg a znlcbin orrin 
Is me conleicb m^' nocon ir zleitb zown dalgin 
Is me rown dakgis ym bron is tow ag skay di tollwm 
Vii bleyn di waa ma borri fylwm zasga worn war 
M classi ler borcber maa waa zessew a vylwum urma 
Smenis cowcbuUin vor maik a v° ne in draicb za cbow 
Gur smeine nar wraik feiltyth in ir a reyk a cbwneitb si cbateive 
A arrwm re corp no con di cbow is beeg nor skarri 
Re fagsin a cowlwoe a zlyn gasgeitb zownytb dalgin 
Mak sawalti mor a foyme ne low ym broin it ta orrin. 

Di. 



Auctor liTijiis in keicli Cloaii. 

Hossna cbarrit a cloan freicb bossne leicb a gassil cbroa 

Hossna zaneni tursytb far agns da gwllin ban oge 

Ag so bar in earn fane wil freicb m'feicb in ult woye 

Fer a ryn bwycbis byef is voe lontir earn freicb 

Gwl ein wna in crocbin sor troe in skail fa wil a wan 

Is say ver a bossna gytb trome Freicb m'Feicb nyn golk sen 

Is see in nyn wan di neig in gwle ag dwle da eiss gow cloan freicb 

Fynowr in olt cbass ail inne voyve ga bead leicbt 

Innen orle is our folt is freicb in nocbt teive er beive 

Ga mor far za derge ee neir zrawig se far acb freicb 

Foyis mewe mwe foye cardiss freicb fa far a gleye 

Incbuss fa craicbtytb a corp trai gin locht a zanew zee 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 37 

A lamh chruaidh giui laige ri neach smuain air d' oide 'us e'n cuibhreach. 

Cuchulain nan seang lann sliom, 'n uair a chual' e tuireadh Chonuil, 

Do ghluais le treine a laimhe do bhreth sgeil de 'n mhacan. 

Innis dhuinn air teachd a 'd dhMl a ghraidh an tu na 'r ob teugbhail, 

A shlios reidh an abliraid dhiiibli, fios d' ainm, co do dhiitlichas ] 

De 'm gliea.saibli air teachd o'm thigh, gun sgeul a dh' innseadh dh' aoidh, 

Da 'n innsinn do neach eile, a'd ghradhsa dh' innsinn d' kraidh. 

Comhrag riumsa is digin duit, no sgeul d' innseadh mar charaid, 

Gabhsa do roghadh a chiabh lag, ni ciall tighinn gu 'm chomhrag. 

Ach nior bhi gu tigeadh n'ar ceann a h-onchu agh na h-Eirinn, 

A lamh ghaisge an t^is troid mo chliu bhi an nasgaidh agad. 

lomanadar thun a chdile ni ta comhrag a bhanamhuil ; 

Am macan gun d' fhuair a ghuin, an daltan cruaidh lamhach. 

OuchuUain is comhrag cruaidh do bhi an la sin fo dhiombuaidh, 

A aon mhac do mharbhadh leis, an t-saor shlat chalm chaomhghlas. 

Innis duinn ars' cii nan cleas tathas feasd fo 'r n-ailleas, 

D' ainm 'us do shloinneadh gu lom na teirig a dh' fholchainn oirnne. 

Is mi Conlaoch mac na con oighre dligheach Dhuin dealgain. 

Is mi an run d' fhagas 'am broinn 'us tu aig Sgiath 'g ad fhoghlum, 

Seachd bliadhna do bha mi shoir foghlum ghaisge o'm mhathair, 

Na cleasa le 'r thorchair mi bha dh' easbhuidh an f hoghluim orm. 

Smuaineas Cuchulain 'n uair a dh' eug, a mhac an dreach do chumhadh. 

Our smuain, ni breug, faoilte an f hir, do threig a chuimhne 's a cheudfaidh, 

A urram ri corp na Con a chumha is beag nacli do sgar, 

Ri faicinn an culthaobh a ghlinn gaisgeach Dhun dealgain. 

Mac samhailt mor a fuaim ni luaidh am bron a ta oirnne. 

Do. 



Is e ughdair so an Caoch O'Cluain. 

Osnadh charaid a Cluain Fraoich osnadh laoich a caiseal chrb, 
Osuadh dheanadh tuirseach fear agus da an guilionn bean og, 
Ag so shear an earn far am bheil Fraoch mac Fithich an fhuilt mhaoith, 
Fear a rinn buidheachas do Mhaoibh, 'us 'n sloinntear earn Fraoich. 
Oulaoin mhnath 'n Chruachan shear, truagh an sgeul fa'm bheil a bhean, 
Is e bheir osnadh gu trom, trom, Fraoch mac Fithich nan colg sean. 
Is i an aon bhean do ni an gul ag dol d'a f hios gu Cluain Fraoich, 
Ainnir an fhuilt chaise aille, nighean Mhaoibh ri 'm bitheadh laoich. 
Nighean Orla is Mr folt 'us Fraoch an nochd taobh air thaobh, 
Ge mbr fear dha 'n d'dirich e nior ghradhaich i fear ach Fraoch. 
Faigheas Maoibh mo fuath cairdeas Fhraoich fa fearr a ghn^, 
A chuis fa creuchtadh a chorp troimh gun lochd a dheanamh rithe ; 



38 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Do churre ai gussyth vass teif re mrave ne tiik o nolk 

Mor a foor a lioyt la meyf innossit gyn khelk in noss. Hossui. 

Kerin di weitli er loch male de chemist in trath za hass 

Gith rae gach mee toni abbe de we er 

Sasse bee in kero sin fa millsyth na milli a iilae 

De chonkfa a kerin derk far gin wey gi kend ix traa 

Bleyn er heil gi ir di churri sin fa skail garve 

Gi borin di liicht kneis froth a wess is e derk 

Di wi ainsyth no zoi ga bea ley chawyr in tloye 

Pest neif zo we no vouni vakki zi cath zol da woyn 

Bein aslaynti throm throm ynnin ayith ni gorn seyr 

Di curri lai fiss er freich feisrych kid hane ree 

A durde meyve nach be slan mir woe lane i boss meith 

Di cheyrew in loch oyr gin dwneni za woyna ach freich 

Knossych reyve ne zarni mee er v'feich gi knai zerg 

Ge ger darnis ai er freich rachsit di vonni ker a veyf 

Glossis freich fa fer a naye voyne zi nave er in locht. Hossni. 

For a fest is ee na soyuna is a kenna soss ris in noss 

Freich mac feich an erma zeiar hanik one fest gin is dee 

Hug a houlti ker nark ferriu roif meyf zaa tee 

Ach gai math in duggis latti i durt meyf is gal crow 

Ne oyr mis a leith loayn ach slat a woyan as a bonni 

Togris freich is ner zilli teymmi naf a riss er in ling vak 

Is ner ead ach ga mor ayze hech one vass in roive chwd 

Gawiss i kerin er varri targi a cran as i raif 

Toyrt doe choss zo in der mogrziss zo riss in pest 

Beris er agis ai er snawf is gavis a lawf no chrissyth 

Di zave sessin is er chail trow gin a skayn ag freich 

Fynowr in olt chass ail di ran chwggi skan din oyr 

Leddryth a phest a kness bayn is teskith a lawe er looe 

Di hudditeyr bone re bone er trae ni giach cor fo hass 

Freich m'^feich is in fest troy a zai mir hug in dress 

Ga coyrik ne coyrik car di ruk lass a kanna na lave 

Mar chonik in neyn ee di choy na nail er in trae 

Eris in neyn one tave gavis in laive bi laive bak 

Ga ta so na cwt nyn nane is mor in teach i rin a voss 

Voyn vass sen di foar in far loch mai go len din loch 

A ta in tarm sen dee gi loan ga zerma in noss guss in noss. Hossui. 

Berrir in sen gu cloan freich corp in leich gow kassil chroyg 

Er in gian tuggi a anm is mark varris da loo 

Carn lawe in earn so raym heive a lave reyth di beast sonni 

Fer ner ympoo in dress fer bo zawsi nert in drot 

Invin im bail ner ob zawe ym beddeis mnan i torvirt fook 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 39 

Do chuir i e gus a bhks, taobh ri mnathaibh ni tug 'n olc, 

Mbr a phudliar a thuit le Maoibli inniseam gun cheilg a nis. Osnadli. 

Caorthainn do bhi air Locli Maoibh do chimid an traigh do dheas, 

Gach a v6 'us gach a mios toradh abuich do bhi air. 

Seasamh bba an caora sin, fa millse no mil a bhl^th, 

Do diumadh a caoran dearg fear gun bhiadh gu ceann naoi trkth, 

Bliadhna air shaoghal gach fir do chuir sin is sgeul dearbh, 

Gu 'm b' f hoirinn do luchd chneidh brigh a mheas 'us e dearg. 

Do bhi imcheist 'n a dheigh ge bith lighich a chobhradh an t-sloigh, 

Bdisd nimh do bhi 'n a bhun bh' aca do chath dhol g'a bhuain. 

Bhitheann an euslaint throm, throm, nighean Athaich nan corn saor, 

Do chuireadh leath fios air Fraoch ; dh' fhiosraich ciod 'thkinig rithe. 

A dubhairt Maoibh nach bitheadh slkn mar bitheadh Ikn a boise maoith, 

De chaoraibh an Loch fhuair, gun duine g'a bhuain ach Fraoch. 

Cnuasachd riamh nior dheanadh mi ars' mac Fithich nan gruaidh dearga, 

Ge gur dheanas e air Fraoch racham do bhuain caor do Mhaoibh. 

Gluaiseas Fraoch fa fear an kigh uainn gu snkmh air an Loch, 

Fhuair e a bheisd 'us i 'n a suain us a ceann suas ris an dos. Osnadh. 

Fraoch mac Fithich nan arm geur, thainig 'n Bhdisd gun fhios d'i, 

Thug e ultach de chaora dearg far an robh Maoibh dh' a ti. 

Ach ge maith na thugas leat, a dubhairt Maoibh is geal cruth, 

Ni fhoghain dhomhsa, laoich luinn, ach slat a bhuain as a bhun. 

Togras Fraoch is nior gille tioma snamh a ris air an linn bhog, 

'Us nior fhaod e ge mor 'agh, theachd 'n bhks 's an robh a chuid, 

Gabhas an caorthuinn air bhkrr, tarruingidh an crann as a fhreumh, 

Toirt a chosan dha air tir mosglas da suas a Bhdisd. 

Beireas air 'us e air sn^mh 'us gabhas a Ikmh 'n a craos, 

Do ghabh esan ise air ghial, truagh gun a scian bhi aig Fraoch. 

Ainnir an fliuilt chaise aille do rainig thuige le sgian de 'n bir, 

Leadair a bhdisd a chneas ban 'us teasgadh a lamh air luath. 

Do thuiteadar bonn ri bonn air traigh nan clacha corr fa dheas, 

Fraoch mac Fithich 'us a bhdisd truagh a Dh^ mar thug an treis. 

Ge comhrag ni comhrag gearr do rug leis a ceann 'n a laimh. 

Mar chunnaic an nighean e do chaidh i 'n a neul air an traigh, 

Eireas an nighean 'n tkmh gabhas an Ikmh bu Ikmh bog. 

Ge ta so 'n a chuid nan eun, is mbr an t-euchd a rinn a bhos, 

'n bhks sin do fhuair am fear, Loch Maoibh do lean air an loch, 

A ta an t-ainm d'i gu luain 'g a ghairm a nuas gus a nis. Osnadh. 

Beirear an sin gu Cluain Fraoich corp an laoich gu caiseal chrb, 

Air a ghleann thug e ainm, is mairg a mhaireas da dis bgb. 

Carn Laimh an earn so ri 'm thaobh is laimh rithe do bhitheas sona, 

Fear nior iompaich an treise, fear a b' annsa neart an trod. 

lonmhuinn beul nar ob daimh do m' bitheadh mnathan a tabhairt phbg, 



40 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Invin team nyn sloye invin groye ner zerk in ross 
Doigli no feacli bar a olt derk a zroye no ful leiclit 
Fa meyni na kower schrowe gilli na in snacht kueas freicht 
Cassi na in kaissnai olt gnrm a rosg na yr lak 
Derk na partain a wail gil a zaid na blai feich 
Ard a ley na cranna swle beynni no teyd kwle a zow 
Snawe di bar no freich cho di bene a beif re strow 
Fa lannyth na koillith a skaitb invin trae ve re drum 
Coiffad a land is a lawe lanni ebolk na clar zi long 
Troye nacb ann in gorik re leicli di but freicb a fronni oyr 
Durss sin a buttim la pest troe a zai nacb marrin foss. 

Hossni. 



A houdir so Connil carnycli m'eddirscbol. 

A cbonnil cba salve no kinn deviu lum gyr zergkis tierm 

No kinn di cbw er a zad slontir lat no fir foe fyve 

A neyn orgil nyn nacb a evir oik ne bree binn 

Sanna in nerik ebon ni gless bugis loym in ness no kinn 

Ka in kenn mallycb zow mor dergkytb nayn ross a zroy glan 

Is sai is gir zin lee clea a kenn deive ne raa dait 

Kenn ree mee nyn nacb loait arse m'carbre nyn goitb camm 

In nerik mo zaltan fen bugis Iwm in gayn a kenn 

Kai in kenn oid er mye baale go volt fand gi malle sleime 

Rosk mir erre dait mir vlait alda no cacb crwtb a kinn 

Manne boe fir nyn nacb makmeyf zi zracb gytb coyn 

Dagis a cboUin gyn kenna is di bwt wile lum a loye 

Ka in ken so zawis tow id laive a cbonnil vor ne bae linn 

nacb marrin kow nin gless keid verre bow er less a kinn 

Kann v'erris nyn nacbt verreytb a ceitb gytb gurt 

Mac mo fayr in tur bang di skarris a kbenn ra cbwrp 

Ka in kenn od bear in nolt inn da greddytb no kinn go laive 

Hurris annitb er a zow gyn roveddir sal da rar 

Sess a sowd di bwt in kow di rad a cborp fa wrow dass 

Cow mac conna re nyn rann bugis lam a kenn ter aiss 

Ka in da ken so is fadde macb a cbonnil vor a vraa byig vinn 

Er zraigb tenne na kel orn anym no ver a zon ne berm 

Kenn leyirre is clar cwlte in da kenn di but lem zonua 

Di zon swt cowcbuUiu cbarn swn zergis merm na wulle 

Kai in da kenn so is fadde sorre a cbonnil vor gi gal zuee 

Ennyn dae er volt ni verr derk in groye na ful leych 

CwUin bray is cwulit croye deiss di verre boye lai ferk 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 41 

lonmhuinn tighearn nan sluagli, ionmhuinn gruaidii nar deirge an rbs, 
Duiblie no fiach barr a f huilt, deirge a ghruaidh no full laoich, 
Bu mhine no cobhar srutha, gile no sneachd cneas Fhraoich, 
Oaise no an caisein 'fholt, guirme a rosg na oidhre leac, 
Deirge no partan a bheul, gile a dheud no blkth fiodh, 
Ard a shleagh mar chrann siiiil, binne no tend ciuil a ghuth, 
Snamhaiche a b 'f hearr no Fraocli, clia do shin a thaobh ri sruth, 
Bu leathainn no comhla a sgiath, ionmhuinn trMh bhith ri druim, 
Bu chomhf had a lamh 'us a lann, leathainn a cholg no clar luinge, 
Truagh nach b'ann 'an comhrag ri laoch do thuit Fraoch a bhronnadh oir, 
Tuirse sin a thuiteam le B^isd, truagh a Dhe nach mairionn f5s. 

Osnadh. 



Is e ughdair so ConuU cearnacli Mac Edarscoil. 

A Chonuill, cha sealbh na cinn, deimhin leam gur dheargas d'airm, 

Na cinn do chi'm air a ghad sloinntear leat na fir fo f haoibh. 

A nighean Fhorghuil nan each, A Eimhear oige na brigh binn, 

Is ann an ^iric Chon nan cleas, thugas leam an nios na cinn. 

Co an ceann muUach donn mbr, deirge no'n rbs a ghruaidh glan, 

Is e a 's goire do 'n leth chli an ceann diubh nach d'atharraich dath 1 

Ceann righ mi nan each luath, ars' Mac Cairbair nan goith cam ; 

An diric mo dhaltan fein thugas leam an cein an ceann, 

Co an ceann ud air m' aghaidh thall, co folt fann gu mall sliom, 

Rosg mar f heur, deud mar bhlkth, ailde no gach cruth a cheann 1 

Manadh b'e fear nan each, Mac an Aoife do chreachadh gach cuan. 

Do fhkgas'a choluinn gun cheann 'us do thuit uile leam a shluagh. 

Co an ceann so ghabhas tu a'd laimh a Chonuill mhbir nam bkigh linn, 

nach marrainn Cu nan cleas ciod bheireadh tu air leas a chinn 1 

Ceann mac Fherghuis nan each, bheireadh e cith gach gurt, 

Mac mo pheathar an tur sheang do sgaras a cheann r'a chorp. 

Co an ceann ud shear an f huilt f hinn d' an greadadh na cinn gu 'IMmh, 

Fhuaireas aithne air a ghuth gun robhadar seal d'a reir 1 

Sios an sud do thuit an Cu do rad a chorp fo hhrh. deas, 

Cu mac coin f gh nan rann thugas leam a cheann tar dis. 

Co an da cheann so is faide mach a Chonuill mhoir a bhreth bu bhinn, 

Air ghrkdh teann na ceil oirnn ainm nam fear a ghuin na h-airm 1 

Ceann Laoghaire 'us clar Chuilt an da cheann do thuit le'm ghuin. 

Do ghuin sud CuchuUin ceairn, sonn dheargas m'airm 'n a fhuil. 

Co an da cheann so is faide soir, a Chonuill mhoir gach geal ghniomh, 

lonnan dath air folt nam fear deirge an gruaidh no full laoich? 

CuUain breagh 'us Cunnlaid cruaidh dithis bheireadh buaidh le feirg, 



42 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

A evyr seid sor a kinna dagis a gwrp fa linna derk 

Ka ne vi kinn so solk maiue de chewe feyn er mye lioyth 

Gwrm in nye dwe a volt o hilla rosg connil croye 

Sessir eascardin a chow chlann cliallidtein a mwe znaie 

Is said Slid in sessir leyve a hut Iwm sin nerm no laive 

A chonnil vor aithr ree kayn in ken od da gallith catht 

Gin or fai treilse wa keyand gyu codyth slem ghardyth vart 

Kenna v'finn v'rosse roye v'necnee hor has lam nert 

A evir is se so a cheud ardree layyn nyn hind brak 

A chonnil vor mugh a skail creid a hut lad laive gin locht 

Din tloe eignyth a veil sin a deiltiss kinn na con 

Deachnor is seacht fychid kead derym peyn is awyr sloe 

Di hut lomsa drwme er zrum di neve mo cwlk cunlaa rag 

A chonnil kynis taidda mnae inssefail dessne ni con 

Cowf v'hawalt haye na veil agga fein ar for 

A evir keid di zarna mai gyn mo kowe ym rer san socht 

Gyn mo zaltan fa mhaa crow a dol voym a mugh so n . . . 

A chonnil tok me sa vert tok mo lacht oss lacht no con 

Os da chowe rachfen ayk cwr mo vail re bail no con 

Is mai evyr is keyn dalve ne feine sarve daylta zoive 

Di zerr no cha nul mo spess troe miirreich er eiss a chon. 

A chonnil. 



A howdir so Keilt m'ronane. 

Heym tosk zoskla fynn gow tawri ni draive nevin 

Gow hormy moyr mhorlat mhirr gow cormik m'art inir 

Ner cleacht me meith my zloon orss afwUych fer eddrwme 

Gi waldeis feynyth fail oss word locht a foyall 

Warwemir in leich Ian mir a warwemir in crayc 

Di charmisdir leich fane lay mir a charssmir a ray 

Hugssmir a cann gin cherri guss a gnok oss boyamir 

Di rynis feyn boya tra di roynis fogryth owlay 

Di warwiss mun er zlinn fer gi inwal in nerrin 

Di roynissi boya tra di roynissi fogryth owlay 

Di raddis mun er zlinn gwl gi inte in nerrin 

Di roynissi boya tra di royniss fogryth owlay 

Ni leith di legin fa boywa doybis sin nerrin awwor 

Di roynissi boya tra di royniss fogryth owlay 

Ni dorssa er a beith a zeith zark a dosslin ead gi liymard 

Di roynissi boya traa di royniss fogry owlay 

Ni gurt abbe um halvon di loskgin ead gu lassal 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 43 

A Eimhear sud soir an cinn do fliagas an cnirp fo linne dearg. 
Co na &6 cinn so is olc m^in do chitheam fdin air m' aghaidh thuath, 
Gorm an aghaidh, dubh am folt, thilleadh rosg Chonuill chruaidh 1 
Seisir eascairdean a Choin, clann Chaileidin nam buaidh ghn^th, 
Is iad sud an seisir laoich a thuit learn 's an airm 'mo laimh. 
A Chonuill mhbir athair righ co an ceann ud do 'n geilleadh cath, 
Gur orbhuidh trillis 'cheann co 'n comhdach sliom dh' airde bheart, 
Ceann mhic Fhinn mhic Rois ruaidh mhic na Cneidh f huair bks le 'm 
A Eimhear is e so a cheud, ardrigh Laighein nan lann breac. [neart, 
A Chonuill mhbir, mhgli an sgeul, creud a thuit le'd laimh gun lochd, 
De 'n t-sluaigh eagnaidh a bheil sin a dioltas cinn na Con 1 
Deichnear 'us seachd fichead ceud deiream fdin is aireamh sluaigh, 
Do thuit leamsa druim air dhruim, do nimh mo cholg conla rag, 
A Chonuill, cionnus taid mnathan Innsefail an deigh na Con, 
Cumha a mhic shamhailt tha na bheil aca Mn air foir 1 
A Eimhear ciod a dheanadh mi gun mo Chu a 'm reir s' an Soc 
Gun mo dhaltan fa maith cruth a dol uam 'am mugh an nochd, 
A Chonuill tog mi 's an f heart, tog mo leac os leac na Con, 
Os d'a chumhadh rachaim eug, cuir mo bheul ri beul na Con. 
Is mi Eimhear is caoine dealbh, ni faigheam searbh dioltadh dhomh. 
Do dheur nocha n 'eil mo speis, truagh m' fhuireach air dis a Chon. 

A Chonuill. 



Is e uglidair so Caoilte Mac Eonain. 

Chaidheam tosg a dh' f huasgladh Fhinn, gu Teamhra nan sreabh aoibhinn. 

Go h-airm a 'm faighear' bhbrrshlat mhear, guCormaig Mac Airt aoin fhir, 

Mor chleachd mi maidheamh mo ghlonn ger fuileach fior eutrom, 

Gu bheildeis Fianna Fail os bhord Locha Feabhuil. 

Mharbhamair an laoch Ikn, mar a mharbhamair an Cuireach, 

Do chearbmasdair laoch fa liach, mar a chearbsamair an triath, 

Thugsamair ceann gun choire, gus a chnoc os Buadhamair. 

Do rinneas f^iu buaidh trkth, do rinneas fbgradh uUamh, 

Do mharbhais mun fhear ghrinn fear gach aon bhaile an Eirinn. 

Do rinneas buaidh trkth do rinneas fbgradh uUamh, 

Do radas mu'n fhear ghrinn gul gach aon tigh 'an Eirinn, 

Do rinneas buaidh trkth do rinneas fbgradh uUamh. 

Na laoigh do leigeann fa buaibh do bhitheas an Eirinn aghmhor. 

Do rinneas buaidh trkth do rinneas fbgradh ullamh. 

Na dorsan air am bitheadh a ghaoth dhearg do fhosglann iad gu h-iom- 

Do rinneas buaidh trkth do rinneas fbgradh ullamh. [ard. 

Na guirt abuich mu thalmhainn, do loisgeann iad gu lasail. 



44 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Di roynissi boya tra di royniss fogryth owlay 

Nocli char aggis reim linn aa na muUiu in nerrin 

Insin di leyggiddir rwm eech albin is erriu 

Teyni boach er loyss mi chass gr ranegiss ross illirzlass 

In sin glossimsi schear gow taura ni widdir cbane 

Ner harrin eine each zeive zea roym in dawra za essin 

Tugis in dawra fa laa ben in ir chommi za cheilli 

Is ben in r chomisso nach gwss in fer commisso ella 

Tugis in dawri gi beach ben carbre zi cormik 

Is ben chormik er sin di raddis ee zi charbre 

Tugis Iwm claywa in reith uch fa hay mor a wree 

Mi clawe feyn fa gin gutti fagwm in droyl chulk ch(3rmik 

In sin di quhoyis in nwnn is eaddi in dorsser owym 

Inn nygyth sin doef ge beacht is me bi kyllor ze chormik 

Is bert ooklachis is tei hawle a vaonissi reith errin 

Ga zajTiith leve raa mi zloor da hwle cheiit yn kyllnor 

Na habbirsi sen er finn er ardre ny feyn voltyun 

Ga tamsi in layve id tei na ber tar er my wntir 

M hay sin ague cheiit far a will ay in vorwilty 

Cha mir sen ay connil chynni er a wU dor er talvinn 

In sin tarnik in toylli ag in re ro zast rawor 

iiii choss geym in genn ni genu teym less a is tee cotkiu 

In sin chayis fa zass di bi wlyg ay di maylass 

Aggis tuggis Iwm jm zoyn kone esgiu ard orwayll 

Eynit Iwm in nee riss a ben ers in re fati firzlinn 

Balli kness cheilti za zoyn di chone essgin orwoyl 

Na habbirsi sen a re er wiss in ryth a zillin 

Brarryth broggodych a derri corsi hoich er orvidi 

Er a layve a keilt chaylle mir wee finn flaa eyni 

Gid tani ne hurfin gyle derrow albin no errin 

Er maneach do gi beacht a deafFryth mis zi chormik 

Gawa tow cow thlaa woyme zoskla mydda 

Ne warrir fin lat id te er ane chowe er talwon 

Ach ane chow a keilt chaye da bi toylliug tow faywayll 

Da waya a tow zoif re lay lawnon woada di gi feyane 

Di zoyve tow hed er gi cart cowe cwnnvill 

Di nasgis in brar mir er chormik m'^ art inir 

Gin leggi gi ray in re da waya ay ni feyweill 

Mar nasgis in brar beynn er re errin ni nwlt inn 

In deymsow gar zeggir royve heymsyth ze in dymf 

Glossim turriss o hawre fa turriss fr gi mannee 

Do hymsow ni heltin gar skeltyth a chwddychi 

Tuggis Iwm ii zelt zark is ii znew ignyth ym ard 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 45 

Do rinneas buaidli trkth, do rinneas f bgradli ullamh. 

Noch char fhaiceas ri 'in linn ath no muileann an Eirinn. 

An sin do leigeadar rium eich Albainn 'us Eirinn ; 

Teighim beb air luathas mo choise gur rainigeas Ros lolair ghlais, 

An sin gluaiseamsa siar gu Teamhra an f hidireachdainn, 

Nior thekrninn aon each dhiubh dhe, romham in Teamhra do esan. 

Tugas in Teamhra fa leth, bean an f hir choma dh' a chdile, 

'Us bean an f hir choma so gun achd gus an f hear choma so eile. 

Tugas an Teamhra gu beachd bean Chairbair do Chormaig, 

'Us bean Chormaig an sin do radais i do Charbair. 

Tugas leam claidheamh an Righ, Och ! fa h-e mbr a bhrigh, 

Mo chlaidheamh fdin bha gun chuid fagaim an truaill chuilg Chormaig. 

An sin do chaidheas a nunn 'us eideadh an dorsair faigheam, 

An oidhche sin domh gu beachd is mi bu choinnleir do Chormaig, 

Is heart oglachais 'us ti h-amhuil am fianuis righ Eirinn, 

Ge iognadh leibh rkdh mo ghlbir, da shuil Chaoilte 'am choinnleir. 

Na h-abairse sin ars' Fionn ars' ardrigh na Feinn folt-f hionn, 

Ged thathamsa an laimh a'd ti na beir tkir air mo mhuinntir. 

M h-e sin aigne Chaoilte fear a bheil e 'am mbralachd 

Cha mar sin e coinneal chain air a bheil d'br air talmhainn. 

An sin tairngeadh an t-bl aig an righ ro ghasta ro mhbr, 

Ceithir chois cheum an ceann nan ceann, teighim leis 'us ti an coitchionn, 

An sin chaidheas fa dheas, do bu bhladh e de m' aimhlens, 

Agus tugas leam a'm dheoin caoin ^isginn ard fhuarail, 

Iognadh leam an ni ris a bhean 'ars an righ fead fiorghrinn, 

Boladh cneas Chaoilte -do gheibhean de' chaoin ^isginn fhuarail. 

Na h-abairse sin a righ, ars' mise an riochd a ghille, 

Briathran bragaideach a deir thu, gur airidh air oirmhide. 

Air do laimh a Chaoilte chkil mar bhi Fionn flath Fheinne, 

Ged ta mi ni thoirinn geill d' f hearaibh Albainn no Eirinn. 

Air m' aithneach' da gu beachd, do fhebraich mis de Chormaig, 

An gabhadh tu cumha tlath nam air f huasgladh m' oide ? 

Ni bheirear Fionn leat a'd thi air aon chumha air talmhainn, 

Ach aon chumha, a Chaoilte chaidh, da bu thualainn duit f haigheal ; 

Da 'm faigheadh tu dhomh re la, lanamhain uait de gach fiadhmhuin, 

Do gheibheadh tu d' oide air gu ceart an cumha a chumail. 

Do naisgeas am briathar mear air Cormag Mac Airt aoin f hir, 

Gun leigeadh gu rdidh an righ, da faigheadh e 'na fiadhmhil. 

Mar a naisgeas am briathar binn air righ Eirinn an fhuilt f hinn. 

An tiomsachadh ge dheacair riamh, thionnsgainn d'a dheanamh. 

Gluaiseam turns o Theamhra, fa turns fir mu' n iath. 

Do thiomsachadh na h-ealtainn ger sgaoilteach a chuideachd, 

Tugas leam da gheilt gharg, 'us da ghriobh ioghnach iomard, 



46 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Aggis fey fy za won ii lacli sin loch a seyllin 

II hynnitb sleyvecwUin ii zaw awDe a burrin 

II zessivey zowrane zurm ii cliellych fey a farzhram 

II liyane kylty creive di latteve zrom zawrein 

II zoyvrane o lien a mach o charri donnwane doyvr 

II eillin o thrae leith lee ii rulli a port larga 

iiii snekga on vrostna wane ii anoyk charga d . . . 

II eachte one eachte ard ii smoyrych lettreth lom ard 

II zroyllane downe yve ii clieinkych ni corywe 

II chur one chorrin cleyth ii liarreich mwe o foyall 

II illir cliargi ni glacli ii liawik a keyndyth 

II fess locht melwa ii cherk ussga o locht erne 

II cherk reich one vowna math ii zergin zow locha 

n chreithrane mw cowlin ii wentane my foyllin 

II cheythane a glenn awUe ii zalvon ni sen awle 

II phedda oywrri a claa ii onchon o chroda claach 

II zoyane o thrae za wan ii erboyk loychir yr 

IT chollnm one chess chnr ii Ion a lettir fin chwle 

II eddoyk letter roye ii thrudda tawrych teyve oyr 

II choneyn a schee doe doynn ii wuk awlde cloyth chnr 

II choyag o zrom dave ii ane oywryth layn de 

II yghrgane lanenyth fuiTith ii chreithir one chreive roye 

II sperr hawk in swn o cleyve gia ii loch lay o Iwnycht 

II oyr ane one woyn ii ussock on vownych wor 

II oynlayk a hon chnoyth ii brok a creich oUonych 

II rjniith strayth sinuyth ii zlassoyk o wroch urri 

II chrottych o chonych zawlwe ii weil won wor hawni 

II earrinnyth philloyrrych ii awUinnych seith boygh 

II zassidi one wyg wylle ii cheith cheinekyche chnaw chyle 

II woyok 00 wrowych brn ii neiskin o zowdyr 

II zerrin o leyve za ane da chyill wreane turle 

II annan ar o wy walg ii chonlane zatta o zranard 

II zrin zarrych o zruing ii vronargane on vor cheyyl 

II wlyrrych o zowne ni barga ii elli zalle on zaltraach 

II royin o challow charga ii wnk war on worarga 

II eskax locht m'lanene ii zarzart my ni nellane 

IT ane vek o wess a chwle ii eggin ess v'mowrn 

II ellit zlinni zlinn smoyl ii woyif o haach mow mor 

II onchon loyath o loch conn ii eychat a hoyw chroychin 

II chyraa schee zoyvlane zil ii vuk vwlcow vlyr 

Rath is ker chorkrych chass tugis Iwm o einnis 

Tugis lum each agis lar di zrey vassych vanynane 

Tarve is bo zarri o zrwm kein tugis Iwn o wurn vunchane 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 47 

Agus fithich Fiodh dha bheann, da lach sin Loch a Seillein, 

Da sbionnacli Sleibli Cliuilinn da dhamh allaidh a Burrainn, 

Da cheis Fiodh dliobhrain ghuirm, da choilleach fiodha Faradhriiim, 

Da thaghan Coillte chraoibh, de lethtaobb Dhruim dha raoin, 

Da dhobhrain sin a mach, charaig Donabhain dobhair, 

Da fhaolan thrkigh Locha L^ith, da Shruall a Port Lairge. 

Ceithir snag o'n Bhrosna bhkn, da eanag Charga dMn, 

Da eachta o'n Eachta krd, da smeorach Leitir lorn hid, 

Da dhreollan o'n Dim aoibh, da chaingeach o'n Choire dhuibh, 

Da chbr o'n Chorrainn cleibh, da earf hiach Magha Feabhuil^ 

Da iolar Chairge nan clach, da sheabhag Fiodh Chonnach, 

Da f heis Locha Meilghe, da chearc uisge o Loch Eirinn, 

Da chearc fraoich o'n Mhonadh mhaith, da dhearcan Dhubh-locha, 

Da chriochran Maigh Cuillin, da mhiontan Maigh Tuallainn, 

Da chaochan Ghleann Ghaibhle, da ghealbhan na scan Abhla, 

Da pheata odhar Athcliath, da onchoin Bhroit cliathach, 

Da dhuibhean Thraigh dha bhan, da earbag Luachair Ire 

Da cholum o'n Cheas Chuir, da Ion a Leitir Fionnchuil, 

Da pheatag Leitir ruaidh, da thruid a Teamhra Taoibh iiaine, 

Da choinein a Sith dubh donn, da mhuc alta Cluaidh Chuir, 

Da chuthag Dhroma Daibh, da eun odhar Lainde, 

Da adharcan Leanain na Furraich, da chreabhair o'n Chraobh ruadh, 

Da speirag an sin Shliabh gld, da Inch Hath Luimneach, 

Da dhobhran o'n Bhuain, da uiseag o'n Mhonadh mhbr, 

Da ialltag uaimh Chnuadha, da bhroc Chrioch UUanach, 

Da thraghna Srath Sinne, da ghlasag Bhruach bhiora, 

Da chrotach chuain Ghailimh, da mhiol o'n Mhuirtheimhne, 

Da fherain Fiodh luachraich, da thallan a Sith buidhe, 

Da gheasadich o'n Mhagh mhall, da chith cheangach a Chnamh choille, 

Da bhuidheag o'n Bhruthach brugh, da neasgain Dhubh dur, 

Da dheargan Shliabh dha eun, da chathail Bhraigh an Turla, 

Da eun an hi Mhagh bhuilg, da ghobhlan daithte Ghranard, 

Da ghriobh garrach Ghruing, da bhroinndheargan o'n mhbr choille, 

Da bhliorach Dhun nam bkrc, da eala gheala o'n Ghealtraigh, 

Da ruadhan Chala Chairge, da mhuc mara o'n mhor fhairge, 

Da easgair Loch M'Leanan, da ghearrghart Maigh nan eilean, 

Da eun bheag Mhios a Chuil, da eagan Eas Mhic Muirne, 

Da eilid ghlan Ghlinne Smeoil, da bhuaibh Achadh Maigh Moire, 

Da onchon luath Loch Con, da f hiadh-chat h-Uaimh Chruachain, . 

Da chaora Sith Dhoibhlain ghil, da mhuc de mhucaibh M'Lir, 

Reith 'us caora chorcrach chas tugas leam Innis, 

Tugas leam each agus Ikr de ghreidh mhaisich Mhananain, 

Tarbh 'us bo dhMr Dhruim Cain tusras leam Mhuirn Mhuinchain, 



48 THE BOOK OF [.\NCIE^-T. 

Do chonni cli clionnew ni wane di hir cormik orrum gi dane 
Gi neith zar chursin ym cheun tugis Iwm is teym [Teym 
Er in dymsycliyth ull doyf gow lar ane ew 
Nor a baillwme a meyow zobbredir voyme ach skeillych 
Di choy in feaych woym o zess di bi wlya dom awles 
Di rukgis er in glenn da wan o orrir loch a lurgin 
Di quhoy mi lach fa layve nacb cliussit faywail 
Ter scliroyow berwe brass gow aycb. inn zowlass 
Di zowis e er wrawit gin ger walaa lieach hanye 
Tugis Iwm ee lach gin wacht dosli fin o cliormik 
Ne fooris zolk roya lieg rwm nyg ve me boa 
Cha deyd ass mi chree chinn gin nawleggir may in dalvon 
Lass ane nane beg lassane nane dolle a chass ymon 
Er gi tullych er gi ay cor fa lawe ag lassyn ane 
I clionwaille fynn ag in layve er seiltin gin ead wawne 
Is vin zeyntytk ay sin de hoyrt er a gowe diun fosslow zoywayl 
In clymsycliow sin mir sin ner toylliug fir in doythin 
Tugis ead gow taiu'a Iwm gow mowr a vor liyle 
Doss gi zokkir a kin oppir ead in nyich sin 
Caytliir a wee si walli er ix dorss fossgillyth 
Cormik hug zeyve in teacht mir zoy ym bea gi skei 
Mir chonni may za gwrjiih sin wrow arsing ill wrunych 
Legga brudlychyth gawe vin a guddichtyth greithane 
Huggi ay brow slatzall sollis doyf er chegit fre zorre 
Gi in dorris deyve downtyth ner way in soyve cond in . . . 
Ead sin is tee gi bronych miss a mwe gi anoyith 
Mi chree cowe connis fa la er gi in dorris 
Ga mor nolk forris royth wonyth skeythow choolyth 
Ner leigis ane deyve a mach gi tra erre in in varrich 
Anmi ny hyrri skeiltyth a chorymryth keilta 
Ach a wag sin teyve ra teyve ne dor chormik za soyve 
Nor a leggi finn a mach di skeillidir gi skeiltytht 
Cha deacha dels na trear wo hawra zeive er in . . . 
Mi reith feyn agus reach fenn merrolta cheme wass mi chinn 
Ni tre neachin fa darryth zoyve ni troyth sin di hymsichow. 
We skay zoym er mi clow creddwm in crist is ow 
Mimirche ass in ew inn gar vewwm Iwm ne weym . . . 
Gar wadda mi leymsi har in dawr lochra ni wayn, 
Is fadda in laym rugis ter xx kead try in dawr 
In sen fa lowwr mi leym w-agis si viddircheyn 
Gin ach bar mi choss a geill mawl gith tosk er deym. 

Teym tosk. 



MODEEN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 49 

Da chon de chonaibh 11a Fiann, do shir Cormaig orm gu dian, 
Gach ni dha 'r chuir sin a 'm cheann, tugas learn a 's teigheam, 
Air an tiomsachadh uile domh gu lar aon mhaigh, 
'N uair a b'aill learn am maigheadh dh' obairidear nam gu sgaoilteach, 
Do chaidh am fiach uam dheas, do bu blilagh do 'm aimlileas, 
Do rugas air an Gleann da bhan, oirthir Loch a Lurgain, 
Do chaidh mo lach fa laimh, nach usa faighail, 
Thar sruthaibh beirbh brais, gu Achainn dubh ghlais, 
Do ghabhas i air bhraghaid, gun gur mhaith leath theachd thugam, 
Tugas learn an lach gun achd, d' fhuasgladh Fhinn Chormaig. 
Na f huaras a dh' olc roimh thig rium am feadh a thamhas mi beb, 
Cha teid as mo chridhe chionn gun adhlaicear mi an talmhainn ; 
Leis an eun bheag leis an eun, 'dol a chas ioman, 
Air gach tulaich 'us gach feath, 'cur fa lamh aig leis an eun. 
E 'cumail Fionn aig an laimh, air saoiltinn gun iad fhaighinn, 
'Us o'n dh' aontaich sin do thoirt air a chumha d' Fhionn fhuasgladh, 
An tiomsachadh sin mar sin nior tuallainn fir an domhain. 
Tugas iad gu Teamhra leam gu maor a mhbr thalla. 
Domhsa gu docair a chionn, obair fad na h-oidhche sin, 
Caithir do bhi 's a bhaile air naoi dorsaibh fosgailteach ; 
Cormaig thug dhoibh an teach mar gheibheam bhi gu sgith. 
Mar chunnaic mi g'an cur, s'a bhrugh fharsuinn uile bhreun, 
Leigeadh bruaidleanachd garbh o'n a chuideachd grianach. 
Thug e brugh slatgheal soluis domh air caogad fri dhorus, 
Gach aon dorus diubh duinte nior bhi an saoibh . . . 
Iad sin a 's ti gu brbnach mis a muigh gu anaobhach ; 
Mo chridhe cumhadh connais fa leth air an dorus, 
Ge mbr an t-olc f huaras roimhe na sgiathaibh chuallaidh 
Nior leigeas a h-aon diubh a mach gu trkth diridh a mharaich. 
Ainm a chorra sgaoiltich " Corr imirce" Chaoilte, 
Ach am faicinn taobh ri taobh ni 'n d'f huair Cormaig de shoman. 
'JS" uair a leigeadh Fionn a mach, do sgaoileadar gu sgaoilteach, 
Cha deachaidh dithis no triar, o Thamhra dhoibh air aon rian. 
Mo ruith fdin agus rath Fhinn miorbhuil chitheam os mo chionn, 
Na tri nithean fa d'dirich dhomh, an trend sin do thiomsachadh. 
Bu sgiath dhomh air mo chliii, creideam an Criosd, 'us thu, 
M 'imirce as a mhagh, Fhinn, ge 'r bhitheam lom ni bhitheam fann, 
Ge 'r fada mo leumsa shear, an Tamhra laochruidh na Feinn, 
Is fad an leum thugas siar, fichead ceud troidh an Tamhra. 
An sin bu leobhar mo leum, am facas 's a mheidir-chein 
Gun ach bkr mo chois a geillt', mall gach tosg air an teigheam. 

Chaitheam. 



50 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



Gun ainm Uglidair. 

Id ta fane tullych so toye m^ veckowle is groy colk 
M'dadzail neyn in derk nacli tug ra erk braeir borb 
Id ta fane tuUych so dess m'vec goyne kness mir wlay 
Cha dor sai nach fa neith in gress nocli cliar veine yth law 
Id ta fa tullycli liorryth ossgyr bi vath gol is gnee 
Clan morn gai math ni fir noch char chur sai sen im bree 
Id ta fa tiiliych so har gillyth bi van less nyth mnawe 
M'ronane dor weyth clar fane tally ch soo liar id ta 
Id ta fane tullycli so foyme inner vyth von groik is grane 
Connan dyth zaf gytli muru fa tuUych fume id ta. 

Id ta. 



A zoREi tryillmyt gow find ighilk ernacht sowch linn 
Zarre kinn zulle er in ree gjn gurmist aye gai keive cleith 
Is lesk lumsyth zwle anna onach clwnnwn gr fan chenna 
Is nach feadmist a zeilt keuna v'morn vor znewe 
Kail lusse ne is allwni pen id durd conan mor gyn keale 
Marmy for mach gytli dunna in deilt zwle olt voe 
Suyth in trur var mon din nane onach lamyt di zin fen 
Abbir a zorre is lawr fayr sinni sin trom alle 
Marvesyth ossin mor m'fyn marve mai in tosgir nach teymmi 
Marve dyrre kilte kaye fayir sinni wile er in lawe 
Matht is aggwm ne veis anna cha dik linna movil er finn 
Tuttmy uUe sin alle cha dikge gowle dr gowrne 
Da byth inni byth le a nort dyth churmist finni za leacht 
Is ferr nyth brar gyn nelle a derssi rvft a zorre. 

A zorre. 



A houdir so 



Laa zane deach Finn di zoill in nalwe is ner ymmit sloyg 
Sessir bann is sessir far lyn zhil is anneir ucht zaall 
Finn fayn is Dermoit gin on keilt is ossain is oskir 
Conan meithl gom maal er myg agus mnan nin vi leith sen 
Mygin is ban einn bi zane is annir ucht zall mi wan feyn 
Gormlay aoUi -is dow rosg neaof is neyn enneiss 
Nor a zoyf meska no mnan tugsiddir in gussi raa 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 51 



Gun ainm Ughdair. 

A ta fo 'n tulach so tuath, Mac mhic Cumhail a's cruaidh colg, 
Mac deudgheal nighinn an Deirg, nach tug r 'a fheirg briathar borb. 
A ta fo 'n tulach so deas, Mac mhic Cuinn, cneas mar bhlkth, 
Cha d' fhuair se neach fa ni, 'an greas nochar mhin a lamh. 
A ta fo 'n tulach soshoir, Osgar bu mhaith goil 'us gniomh, 
Clann Moirn ged is maith na fir, nochar chuir e sin am brigh. 
A ta fo 'n tulach so shiar, gille bu mhiann leis na mnathaibh, 
Mac Ronain do fhuair a bhith clkra, fo 'n tulach so shiar a ta. 
A ta fo 'n tulach so fodham, am fear a bhi 'n ghruaig is grkin, 
Conan do gabh gach muirnj fo'n tulach fodham a ta. 

A ta. 



A G-HORATDH, triallamaid gu Fionn a ghilleachd air nach subhach leinn, 
A dh'iarraidh cinn Ghuill air an righ gun cuirmaid e gu caomh cli. 
Is leisg leamsa dhol ann nach cluinneam gur fa 'n cheann, 
Is nach faodmaid a dhiolt, ceann Mhic Moirn mhoir ghniomh. 
Naile leatsa ni is aill leam fdin a dubhairt Conan mbr gun chiall, 
Marbhaidh mi air magh gach duine an diolt Ghuill fholt bhuidhe f^in. 
Suidhichidh an triiir armuin d'an Fheinn, nach lamhamaid do Fhinn, 
Abair a Ghoraidh 'us labhair faighear sinn 's an trbm aile, 
Marbhais Ossian mbr M'Fhinn marbhaidh mi an t-Osgar nach tionia, 
Marbhaidh Daoire Caoilte caidh, faighear sinn uile air an laimh. 
Maitheas agam ni bhitheas ann, cha tig leinn modhail air Fionn, 
Tuiteamaid uile 's an aile, cha tig Goll' gar cobharne. 
Da beb Fhinn bithidh le a neart do chuirmaid Fionn d'a leac. 
Is fior na briathran gun fhoill a deirsa ruit, a Ghoraidh. 

A Ghoraidh. 



An t-nghdair so 



"-b 



La dh' an deachaidh Fionn a dh' ol, an Almha 'us nior iomadh sluaigh, 
Seisir bhan 'us seisir fhear inghin gheal 'us ainnir uchd-gheal, 
Fionn fdin 'us Diarmad gun on Caoilte 'us Oisian 'us Osgar, 
Conan maol gu mall air magh, agus mnathan nan s4 laoch sin, 
Maigheaneas bean Fhinn bu dein, 'us ainnir uchd-gheal mo bhean fdin, 
Gormlaidh aoile is dubha rosg, Naoimh 'us nighean Aonghuis. 
'N uair a ghabh misge na mnathan, tugsadar an cuis r^idh. 



52 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Nach royf er in doythin teg sessir ban in goyth inrylk 
A dowirt an nynnilt gyn on is Tulych carnicli in doythin 
Ga maath sewse is ymmith ban nach drynn fes ach re in ar 
Gerrid er ve zawe mir sen tanik in van dar rocbtin 
Ein wrata wmpa gin alda agus e na iyn naygb 
Tanik neyn a wrata inn an vaenissi v'kowle 
Banicbis din re gin non agis swis na arrygb 
Feafrytb finn skail zyi din neyn Iwcbr lawzill 
A wan a wrat gin alda keid a rad ow is tein naygb 
As giss dym wrat gin alda ban ann ac na ennaygh 
Nocbt cbay naygb dein fame wrat acb ben in ir gyn ralocht 
Tawir ym brat dym wreitb feyn do ter conane mor gyn cbaele 
Go westmist im brear mir a twg na mnawe wo cbanew 
Gawis ben chonnane ym brat is curris wmpa la rachta 
Gom bea sen an loytb locbt dar lek rys wile a gall ocht 
Mir a chonnik connan meil ym brat er cassyth fa teyf 
Tawris in chreissytb gin neaf agis marvels in neyn 
Gavis ben dermoit a zeil ym brat wo wrei ebonnan meil 
Nocb cbar farr a wassi zyi cassi ym brat fa keiyf 
Gawis ben oskyr na zey ym brad coo adda coyve ray 
Ga loyvir skayth a wrat inn nocb cbar ally a bymlyn 
Gawis mygbinis gi aal ym brad is di cburri fa cann 
Di cbass is di cbwar mir sen ym brat gi loa fa clossew 
Tawir ym brata er m'raa dym wneissi is ne cwss clae 
Go vestmist in ness gon non tres elli da bymlit dewe 
Di warynsi brair riss agis ne brair eggiss 
Nach darnis di weiss ri far ach dol dutsi in neiss lenew 
Nochtis ben vek ree a teef curris umpi ym brat fer chei . . . 
A sayth eddir chass is lawe na gi ley er a Iwdygnane 
Ane phoik doaris in braed o wak o zwyne darmit 
Di reissi ym brad owm laar mor wea see na hynnirrane 
Tawrew mi wrat doyf a wnaa is me nein in derg zrana 
Noch cha dernis di locht ach fess ri finn fyvir noch 
Ber mo wallych is ymith woygin se der m'kowle gin boy 
A dagis fa mhaalych er mnawe na tyr huggin ane lay. 

Lay. 



CoYA Iwm ymich ochtyr chor tocht er my venmyn 
Cut da nymich cha chellwm gin gur wellwm gi calmi 
Oskir is keilt crowith is m'lowith fa moltyr 
Finn agis Dermit deadzale quogr leyttych zar nochtyr 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 53 

Nacli robh air an domhain ti seisir bhan aim cho ionraic, 
A dubhairt an innilt gun on is tulach cearnacli an domhain, 
Ge maith sibhse is iomadh bean nach d' rinn fios acli ri aon f hear. 
Goirid air bhi dhoibh mar sin thainig a bhean d' ar rochdain ; 
Aon bhrat uimpe gun alt agus e 'n a aon f headh, 
Thainig nighean a bhrat f hinn am j&anuis Mhic Cumhail, 
Beannaicheas do 'n righ gun on agus suidheas 'n a fhaireadh, 
Febraicheas Fionn sgeul dhith, de 'n nighinn luthor lamhghil, 
A bhean a bhrat gun alt ciod a rad tu as d' aon fheadh ? 
Is geas do 'm bhrat gun alt bean ann ach 'n a aon bigh 
Noch cha-n fhaigh dion fo 'm bhrat ach bean an f hir gun ro lochd. 
Tabhair am brat do 'm mhnaoi Mn a deir Conau mbr gun che'ill, 
Gun ^isdeamaid am briathar mear, a thug na mnathan a chianaimh, 
Gabhas bean Chonain am brat, a chuireas uimpe le rachd, 
Gum b'e sin an luath lochd, 'n uair leig ris uile a geal uchd. 
Mar a chunnaic Conan maol, am brat air casadh fa taobh, 
Gabhas a chraoiseach gu nimh, agus marbhas an nighean, 
Gabhas bean Dhiarmaid a ghaoil, am brat mhnaoi Chonain mhaoil, 
I*Toch char fearr a bhasa dhith, casaidh am brat fa ciabh. 
Gabhas bean Osgair 'n a ddigh, am brat co fhada caomh r^idh, 
Ge leobhar sgiath am brat fionn, noch char f holaich a h-imlinn, 
Gabhas Maigheanas gu h-aille, am brat 'us do chuireas fa ceann, 
Do chas us do chuair mar sin, am brat gu luath fa cluaisibh. 
Tabhair am brat ars' Mac Reith, do 'm mhnaoi-sa ni cuis cleith, 
Gu disdeamaid a nis gun on, treis eile d'a h-iomlaid domh. 
Do bheirinnse briathar ris, agus ni briathar eigis, 
Nach dearnas de f hios ri fear, ach dol duitse an aois leinibh, 
!N"ochdas bean Mhic Reith a taobh, cuireas umpa am brat fionn, 
A soigh eadar chos 'us lamh, na gu leth air a luideinean, 
Aon phbg d' f huaireas am braghad Mhac O'Dhuine, Diarmad. 
Do ruitheas am brat um Ikr mar bhi si 'n a h-aonaran. 
Tabhraibh mo bhrat domh a mhnathan, is mi nighean an Deirg ghraine, 
Noch cha dearnas de lochd, ach fios ri Fionn faobhar nochta. 
Beir mo mhallachd 'us imich uainn, is e deir Mac Cumhail gom buaidh, 
A d' f hagas fa mhallachd air mnathaibh, na d' eiridhse thugainn aon la. 

Aon la. 



CuiMHNE learn iraeachd ochdar, a chuir tochd air mo mheanmuin, 
Cuid de'n imeachd cha cheileam, ged nach bheileam gu calma, 
Osgar 'us Caoilte crodha 'us Mac Lughaidh a mholtar, 
Fionn agus Diarmad deudgheal, cuigear laoich de'n n-ochdar. 



54 THE BOOK OF 

Misse agis rynith is kerrill keyve in norrin gin lochti 
Chinnimyr er chreith banwe gir wea anmyn nochtyr 
Ymich orrin skaill darwe inni gi calm fane sottill, 
Daggimir downe vec cowle cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Zawrmir downe re albin bi cbalme dwne a rochtin 
Hut reith lay m'kowUe, cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Er zorttymir zwle tagsin ymith class iuta is corkir 
Finni a wade gi brow cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Huggymir cath sin neddall di fre tegwalle na porteiv 
Rugimir boye is cowe cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Hugimir caith ni frankgi o sann di fre gi doggu* 
Zowimir geylle is cowe cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Hugimir cath ne spane a tantyn is a tochtyryn 
Quhoye r my ray fane doyne cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Hugimir caith brettiu bi zeglich ay is be doggir 
Hoggymir gayle doyne cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Warrimir Crom ni carne er fargi is ay er ottill 
Foyrrymir gi ter owille cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Na rey harnik ni clossich a phatrik ossil hochmyn 
Finni wayde er cowe cowin Iwm ymich ochtyr 
Noewe a manmsyth phadrik is hard crawe is sochyr 
phakgyth missi id coithr cowin Iwm ymith ochtyr. 

Cowin Iwm. 



Nenor a quhyme fa chyill, di woyn avr chenni cholin 
Woyn avr chinni cholin chon ca mo dorin sin doyn 
Zearemir my lenyth lerga is glen frethnich ni glawe nerg ' 
Is fer nach forrimir ann maddyth za damis cholin 
Dearemir glen dorch dow glen zarve zorrith is gl claehe 
Is fer nach dorrimir ann maddyth za danmist cholin 
Dearmir scheane zrwmnii clywe is finni wg leive na zei . . 
Is fer nach dorrimir ann maddyth za danmist cholin 
Dearmir durlis war wail tawyr wry is down zawrane 
Is fer nach dorrimir ann maddyth za danmist cholyn 
Dearmir glen okoythyth fa forrais awr ossill 
Is fer nach forrimir ann maddi za danmist cholin 
Dearmir finni wy maye tawyr wry is kintaylle 
Is fer nach dorrimir ann maddi za danmist cholin 
Dearimir erri wUi eddir chonnith is donni 
Is fer nach dorrimir ann maddi za danmist cholin 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LTSMORE. 55 

Mise agus Raoine 'us Caruil, caomh an fhoruinn gun lochda, 
Chinneamar air chrich Bhaubha, gur b'e ainmean an ochdar. 
Imeachd oirnne, sgeul dearbh, fhine gu calm fo'n sotal, 
Do fhkgamar Dun Mliic Cumhail, cuimhne learn imeachd ochdar. 
Ghabhamar duinn ri Albainn, bu chalm duinn a rochdainn, 
Thuit righ le Mac Cumhail, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 
Air ghortamar dol a Shasunn, iomadh cleas ann 'us cosgradh, 
Fionn gum faigheadh gach brugh, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 
Thugamar cath 's an Eadailt, do bhreth teagbhoil 'n a portaibh, 
Rugamar buaidh 'us cumha, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 
Thugamar cath na Frainge o 's ann do bhreth gu docair, 
Ghabhamar geill 'us cumha, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 
Thugamar cath na Spainn, a taintean 'us a tachdaran, 
Chaidhear mo t6 fa 'n domhain, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 
Thogamar cath Bhreatuin, b'eagalach e 'us bu dhocair, 
Thogamar geall daoine, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 
Bheireamar Crom nan earn air fairge 'us e air oiteal, 
Fhuaireamar gach tir umhal, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 
'N a dheigh thainig na toisich, a Phadruig uasail thochdmhuin, 
Fionn gheibheadh air cumha, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 
Naomhaich m'anamasa a Phadruig, is airde cruth us sochair, 
pheacaich mise a'd chomhar, cuimhne leam imeachd ochdar. 

Cuimhne leam. 



Naoinear chaidheamaid fo cheangail do f haighinn aobhar chinn chuileiu, 
Fhaighinn aobhar chinn chuilein chon, ged is mo doruinn 's an domhain. 
Do shireamar Magh Leine leirge 'us Gleann freathnaich nan claidheamh 
Is fior nach d' fhuaireamar ann madadh, de 'n deanmaid chuilean. [dearg, 
Do shireamar gleann dorcha dubh, gleann ghairbh choire 'us gleann cloiche ; 
Is fior nach d' fhuaireamar ann madadh, de 'n deanamaid chuilean. 
Do shireamar Sithean Dhruime Cleibh, is Fionn Mhagh Leibh 'n a dheigh ; 
Is fior nach d' fhuaireamar ann madadh, de 'n deanamaid chuilean. 
Do shireamar Durlas nam fear fial, Tabhar Bhreagh 'us Dun dhobhran ; 
Is fior nach d' fhuaireamar ann madadh, de 'n deanamaid chuilean. 
Do shireamar Gleann a Cuaich fa forthais aobhar uasail. 
Is fior nach d' fhuaireamar ann madadh, de 'n deanamaid chuilean. 
Do shireamar Fionn mhagh mhaith, Tabhar Bhreagh 'us Ceanntaile ; 
Is fior nach d' fhuaireamar ann madadh, de 'n deanamaid chuilean. 
Do shireamar Eire uile, eadar chon 'us duine ; 
Is fior nach d' fhuaireamar ann madadh, de 'n deanamaid chuilean. 



56 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Gerrid downitli mir sen sin feyn pupbill muutyr 

Gin wakcamir tre cath nach di clanni reith ni roylayth 

Oath catchennitli de we ann is cath chonchennith na genn 

Cath drumanich in dey in ney donn er chav»^yr in drom b . . . 

In tley a soiltich gi hard er inni feyn in eingnyth zark 

In nochtyr ske cheyttyth chay er we in tley . . . gead 

In tleyg soyltich gi chert er inni feyn fa gall a zlak 

Er layr skaye cheilt gyn wroyn weith in tly z in g. 

In tley a soyltich gi heissil er inni feyn in nagnith eywre 

In noythtyr skae chrwin charre we tley ac mak chrunchan 

Leygis cheiltyth gallan gleith choylis e nalwin da reroiwe 

Iss mygh lenyth nyn lanni in dawr is in down reillin 

Reggir e goolle m'morn faynith kenard cron woyn 

A zleyis felane m'fynni agis ni balwe a borrin 

Reggir e za mhak mawoe breik is m'elle o noye brek 

Scay bregh m'daythein dayn is keill croith in nerm rai zeyr 

Reggir e keinkeith nith golg agis illin feywr zerg 

Is keill croith a croyth zrinni nach estith goyth iywrin 

Bi winni schenwrannyth sley agis mowr ni meillith 

Agis rann wrattich schroill ag erri a maddin zeith roeith 

Di hoykgimii* dalwe zreynith brattich inni vor ni faynith 

Oyr chor sche tennal fa wor chanan cheintle rwe 

Di hoykgimir fulling doyrith brattich zwUe wor v'morn 

Menkith we gach troyle chroissich derrj^th agis tossyth foylith 

Di hoykimir in menchenith oyrri brattich rynith gin nymig sloyeg 

Sroill lay gonfee kuaw is keuni, la leygis fwll gow fybrin 

Di hoykimir kynill chath brattich eillane darre 

Mak finni far flath ni way nith gilli lay gurre tromley 

Di hoykimir down neive brattich ossin na grri 

Lay we zarg brattich v'ronane is oarnay in deive elle 

Di hoykimir skoyb zawe brattich oskyr in warffee 

Re doll in gath na glaee menkith zarre skopbe zawe 

Di hoykimir loith lynith brattich zarmit e zoenith awyissyth 

Noar heyth in neanith wea sche awzissyth oeyrith a mach 

Di hoykimir barne a reybgin brattich oskyr nar schanith 

Danyth coyharme m'gar zlynni la garwe kinni is ken\^T 

Di hoykimir creiwe fowllith brattich clonni var v'lowich 

Noar a heych in nane a mach is sche wea er in dossych 

Di rimimir croith chath in dym chill inni oyrlach 

Ma dudtych finni farri eddi ni wane worchalmith 

Marwes ni catkenich linni agis di goyve ni chonchinnich 

Hutti ni drumanich wile in dymchall inn alwin 

Munnich beg fa dassi zownith in nynwr wrow za zownnith 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 57 

Goirid duinne mar sin, sin Mn, pobuU, muinntir, 

Gu facamar tri cath gun achd de chlann Righ na Ruadhleath 

Oath catcheann do bhi ann 'us cath choncheann 'n an ceann, 

Catli drumanach an deigh an f heigh, donn air chobhar an drom . . . 

An t-sleagh a soillseachadh gu h-ard, air Fionn Mn an eangnaich ghairg, 

An uachdar sgeith chailltich chaidh air bhith an t-sleagh . . . 

An t-sleagh soillseach' gu ceart air Fionn fdin fa geal a ghlac, , 

Air lathair sgeith Ohaoilte gun bhrbn, bhith an t-sleagh dhearg an cath, 

An t-sleagh a soillseach' gu h-iosal air Fionn fein an aigne mhir. 

An iochdar sgeith chruinn chkir bhi an t-sleagh aig mac Chruinchain. 

Leigeas Caoilte gallan gU ; chualas e an Almhuin de rireadh, 

'Us Magh Leine nan lann, an Tamhar 'us an Dun Reithlein, 

Fhreagair e Gall Mac Moirn, Fiann ceannard Cronbhuain, 

A ghleidheas Faolan Mac Fhinn, agus na Balbha a Borruinn. 

Fhreagair e da mhac Maibh bhric, 'us Mac Ealaidh an aghaidh bhric, 

Scaith breagh Mac Daithein deine, 'us. Gaol crodha an airm ro gheir. 

Fhreagair e Geangach nan colg agus lolunn faobhair dheirg, 

'Us Gaol crodha a chrutha ghrinn nach ^isd guth ionbhruinn. 

Bu bhinn seanmhoireachd sleigh agus meabhar nam milidh, 

Agus rkn bhratach srM ag eiridh am maduinn ghaoith reodhta. 

Do thogamar Dealbh ghrdine, bratach Fhinn mhbir na Feinn, 

Or chuir se timchioU fa mhbr cana cinnealta ruadh. 

Do thogamar Fulang Duaraidh, bratach Ghuill mhbir Mhic Moirn, 

Minic bhi'n gach triall chraoisich, deireadh 'us toiseach falbh. 

Do thogamar am Mincheann bir, bratach Raoine gon iomadh sluaigh, 

Srbl le 'n gonadh cnkmh 'us cinn, le leigeas fuil gu aobruinnean. 

Do thogamar Cineal chath, bratach Fhaolain daire, 

Mac Fhinn fear flath na Feinn, gille le 'n cuireadh trom shleagh. 

Do thogamar Dun Nimh, bratach Oisiain nan curaidh, 

Lamh dhearg, bratach Mhic Ronain, is oirnidh an taobh eile. 

Do thogamar Sguab ghkbhaidh, bratach Osgair am fear fioch, 

Ri dol an cath nan gleo minic a dh' Rireadh Sguab ghkbhaidh. 

Do thogamar Liath loiuneach, bratach Dhiarmaid aigeanaich aibheasaich, 

'N uair a theich an aonach a mach, bhi se aibheasach oirdheirc. 

Do thogamar Beam Reubainn, bratach Osgair nar seanta, 

Dheanadh cosheirm mac gair ghlinne le garbh cinne is ceannbhrat. 

Do thogamar Craobh f huileach bratach cloinn bhar Mhic Lughaidh ; 

'N uair theich an Fheinn a mach, is e bhitheadh air an toiseach. 

Do rinneamar cruaidh chath, an timchioU Fhinn orf hlath. 

Ma dhuda Fhinn f hearail, oide na Feinn mbir-chalma. 

Marbhas na Gaitcheannich leinn, agus do ghabh na Goincheannaich, 

Thuit na Drumanaich uile an timchioU Fhinn Almhuin. 

Monadh beag fa deas dhuinn, am faighear brugh dha dhiln ; 



58 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Is math forrimir ann madditli za danmist cholin 
Zearimir erre wile eddir chonni agis doiini 
Is noech cha dorremir er a feyg clieaddi ferr o zarve na nenor. 

Nenor a quhyme. 



BiNN gow duni in teyr in oyr binn a ghloyr clianyd uyth lieojni, 
Bynn noaillane a nee a quhor bin in tonn a bwn da treoyr 
Bynn in fygzir a ne zeye bin gow coyth oass cassytli conn 
Alynn in delryth a ne greane byn in near feddyl nyth Ion 
Bynn gow illyr esse roye vass kyun coayne v'moyrnye mor 
Bynn gow coythaa oyss barrye doss alyun in tost a nee in coir 
Fyan mac cowil mayi' fani saclit caa na eaynn gytli grynn 
In oayr a lykeyst con ra feayn a garrye no zeye bye wynn. 

Bynn gow. 



SiCAiLE oiknith er clioyle cassil, gow earn wallir berritli mee 

Na clwnnith dwnni za glwnnitb gi giwmiith m'gweill ee 

Makcowle di clioill cossir er sliss alwin in nor weiue 

Essin OSS in gend ne cboU finni in cessew doyr reiwe 

Ossin dein nichticht is dermit dey v'lowith leich nar zann 

Deiss nar leyr cooza coskir conan feyn is oskir ann 

Sloyne a zey leycli zawsich di raye fin fer gytk eyth 

Faikgen mir sin er oill inn ca coyll leiwe is binni er beith 

Di raye conan yr we in nymirt eine choyll is binni lior feyn 

Math lawe in ir re heygh enrwnith fer sen gr chwnith er cheyll 

Foskgi zi chwlg in gaith nawit nach in gath ni choklit sa 

A loywe in genn is in gossith koill a bar le oskir aye 

Koill is mo ruggis zi ryin di rae deomit ni derk maal 

A rozraw gin ga boa zawssith coraa ban is ansith ann 

Sowd mi choilsi a v'murn er m'lowith ni narm gian 

Leym in gleyw mi chon gow ere fey ga churri in derri zawe 

Sowd in koill is koyle dowfsyth di rae fin fla in tloe 

In neym zeith bayne ley braddeiche raym fiuleich fa atteive oyr 

In tra weime gin eggill nin neksith ossin a durt fa zoe 

Mi zane is a zoissith in daskgi saif rame cloiss clastin a chole. 



MODERN.] - THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 59 

Is maith fhuaireamar ann madadh dhe 'n deanamaid chuilean. 
Dhireamar Eire uile eadar clion 'us duine. 

Is noclia d' fhuaireamar air a feadh, ceud fear a dliearbh na naoinear. 

Naoinear. 



BiNN guth duine an tir an bir, binn a ghlbir a chanaid na h-eoin, 
Binn an nuallan a ni a cborr, binn an tonn am Bun da treoir, 
Binn am fabliar a ni a ghaoth, binn guth cuach os Cas a choin, 
Aluinn an dealradh a ni grian, binn a nithear feadail nan lon^ 
Binn guth iolair Easruaidh, os cionn cuain Mhic Muirne moir, 
Binn guth cuach os bkr dos, aluinn an tosd a ni an corr, 
Fionn Mac Cumhail m'athair, fa 'n seachd cath Fhiann gu grinn, 
An uair a leigeas con ri fiadhmhuin, ag ^iridh 'n a dheidh bu bhinn. 

Binn guth. 



Sgeul oignidh air chebl caislidh, gu Carn Bhalair beiridh mi, 
Nan cluinneadh duine de 'n cluinneadh, gun cluinneadh Mac Cumhail e, 
Mac Cumhail do cheal cbisir, air slios Almhuin an oir mhin, 
Esan OS an ceann 'sa chebl Fionn an cbisir d' f haighear riamh, 
Oisian dian euchdach, 'us Diarmad, deagh Mhic Lughaidh laoch nior 
Dithis na'r le'r cobhach cosgar, Conan f^in 'us Osgar ann. [ghann, 

Sloinn a dheagh laoich dhomhsa, do radh Fionn fior gach eadh, 
'Faicinn mar sin air bl Fhinn, cia an cebl leibh is binne air bith ? 
Do radh Conan air bhi an imirt, aon chebl is binne a fhuair mi fdin. 
Maith lamh an f hir ri aghaidh cruinnich' fior sin gun chuimhne air cbdill. 
Faosgadh a chuilg an cath namhaid, neach an cath ni choigleadh se, 
A luaidh an ceann 'us an cos, ceol a b' fhearr le Osgar aigh. 
Cebl is mo a rugas de roghainn, do rkdh Diarmad nan dearc mall, 
A ro ghrkidh, gun ge beo dhomhsa, comhradh bhan is annsa ann. 
Sud mo cheblsa a Mhic Muirne, ars' Mac Lughaidh nan arm glan, 
Leum an gleb mo chon gu cridhe feidh 'g an cur an deireadh dhoibh, 
Sud an cebl is cebl dhomh f^in do rkdh Fionn flath an t-slbigh, 
An f heum ghaoith bhitheann le brataich, reim fionnlaoich fo a taobh bir. 
An trath bhitheam gun eagal nan eigeas Oisian a dubhairt fadheoidh, 
Mo Fheinn'us i dhomhsa an tasgaidh, seimh le'm chluas claistinn a cheoil. 



6o THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Fleygh wor rinni lay finni innoiss dowt a halgin 
Fa hymmi dwn we ann deanow albin is errin 
Fearis m'morn mor din reane fa gall glor 
A waktow fleywi zar o hanyth tow weauow emn 
Di reggir sen finni wane fa math wle tor is tear 
Dowrt gi wak fleywi zar na gi fley ane reywe in nenin 
Chongimir huggin won tonn leich mor ayrrichticli foltinn 
Gin ane dwn ag ach ay feyn fa math in toglach essane 
Mir hanyth shay in gen ni wane a douTt in toglach fa keyve key 11 
Tarsyth lomsith noss inni is ber cayd leich id di hymchill 
Deych mek eichit morne mor ber let in dowss di henoyll 
Fer is ocht zet clilonn feyne ber is oskir di zane wane 
Ber deachnor di clannith smoill is feichit di clanni ronane 
Ber di clanni mwin let deachnor elli gin dermit 
Ber let dermit o dwnith bar ni swr is no schalge 
A feyn is kerrill id Iwng deychnor di zanith is di zorrin 
Ber nenor do zillew let fa farda how ym bee aggit 
Agis twss fen a inni a v'awasse erm zrinni 
Ber C leich let er twnni di zna wnntir inn v'kowle 
C skay gin m wi nor dinni m'kowle v'tranewor 
Berssi let in nossa inni in da chonni is ferri in nerrin 
Ber bran is skoillin let lowt di zorrin i gimicht 
Na beith fadcheis ort a inni di ray in toglach ard evin 
Tuggir fa woye id heith di we er ar sloye is soiche 
Glor anwit hare id chenn ogle out hanik chwggin 
Min fayin tow in weauoss inn di wea di chen gin cholHn 
Di choraa ni churffe in swm a chonane meill ni beymin 
Is mest in sloye di wee ann id ta tow agrow anwia 
Errissyth clanni biskni ann erss conane in nani 
Gowis gi neach zeiwe erm leich tig ni feanith ass gi ane teiwe 
Marwar in sen mak di zinn feani gall a zassgi zrinn 
As mak a zillin m'morn fa math in gath chrwnwoynyth 
Errissyth arriss ann is daniss a wurrill 
Fearyth yn beinni cwt ag gowle di chonan in nani 
Di wersi a wraa feyn di zinn di ray gowle mor nim beymin 
War conan na mess a chinni na bonfeit ass in tinchin 
Ferris koill D'' eichid in glen er nach leyr rawe cheith in ferriu 
Ay gin fiss nyth feanith ag finn troyg in skaill so halgin 
Faddi lommi a halgin trane nach wagga ma dunni zi nane 
Ead a shelgi o zlenni gow gienn is nith aewlt no dymchol 
Binvin lom ossin m 'finni na hanich kenn nach deach zee 
Ter gi dwni gar royve ann di binvin leom finni wley. 

Fley, 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 6i 

• 
Fleadh mlior a rinneadh le Fionn, innis dhuit a Thailgeiii, 
Bu iomadh duine a bha ann, d' Fhianaibh. Alba 'us Eirinn. 
Feoraicheas Mac Moirne mbr de 'n riogbain bu gbeal glbir, 
Am faca tu fleadh ghara o thainig tu do Fhianaibh Eirinn 1 
Do f hreagair sin Fionn nam Fiann, bu mhaith uile soir 'us siar, 
Dubhairt gum faca fleadh bu gharra no gach fleadh Fheinn riamh an 
Chunnamar thugain o'n tonn laoch mor arachdach foltionn, [Eirinn. 
Gun aon duine aig ach e f6m, bu mhaith an t-oglach esan. 
Mar thainig se an ceann nam Fiann a dubhairt an t-oglach bu chaomh 
Tarsa leamsa nis, Fhinn, 'us beir ceud laoch a'd thimchioU, [ciall, 

Deich mic fhichid Moirne moir, beir leat an tris do thionaill, 
Fear 'us ochd dhe'd chlann Mn, beir us Osgar do dh' Fhiann Feinn, 
Beir deichnear de chlannaibh Smoil, us fichead de chlannaibh Ronain, 
Beir de chlann Mudhain leat, deichnear eile gun Diarmad, 
Beir leat Diarmad o Duinn, b'fhear na suiridh 'us na seilg, 
E UiiL 'us Caoruill 'ad long deichnear de dhaoine 'us de dh' fhoruinn. 
Beir naoinear de ghillibh leat, a b'fheairde thu a bhi agad, 
Agus tusa fdin a Fhinn, a mhic aibheasaich, airmghrinn, 
Beir ceud laoch leat air tonn de ghnkth mhuinntir Fhinn Mhic Cumhail, 
Ceud sgiath gon mionna 'n bir, d' Fhionn Mac Cumhaill mhic Threin- 
Beirse leat a nis, a Fhinn, an da chon is fearr 'an Eirinn, [mhoir, 

Beir Bran 'us Sgoilean leat, luaithe de dh' fhoruinn ag imeachd. 
Na bitheadh faitcheas ort, a Fhinn, do radh an t-oglach ard aoibhinn, 
Tugar fo bhuaidh ad thi do bhi air ar sluaigh 'us soithichibh. 
Glbir anmhaith tharladh 'ad cheanUj oglaich ud a thainig thugainn, 
Mum faigheann tu am fianuis Fhinn do bhitheadh do cheann gun choluinn, 
Do chomhradh ni chuiream an suim a Chonain mhaoil nam beuman, 
Is misd an sluagh do bhi ann, a ta tu aghara, anmhuinn, 
Eiribhse chlanna Baoisgne ann, ars' Conan an anaithne. 
Gabhas gach neach dhiubh arm laoich, thig na Fianna as gach aon taobh, 
Marbhar an sin mac do Fhionn, Fiann geal a ghlaca ghrinn, 
As mac de ghillibh Mic Moirne bu mhaith 'n cath Chruinnbhuain, 
Eireas a Fhearghuis ann 'us deanas an iorghuill, 
Feoraich am bi a chuid aig Goll do Chonan an anaithne. 
Do bheirinnse a bhreith fdin do Fhionn, do rkdh Goll mbr nam beuman, 
Bheir Conan 'n a mise a cheann na buinid as an t-eanchain. [fearainn, 
Ferghus, Caol, deich thar f hichead an gleann, air nach Idir riamh chi 
E gun f hios nam Fiann aig Fionn ; truagh an sgeul so a Thailgein. 
Fada leam a Thailgein threin, nach fhaic mi daoine de 'n Fheinn, 
lad a sealg o ghleann gu gleann, 'us mac eilde 'nan timchioU ; 
B'ionmhuinn leam Oisian Mac Fhinn, na h-aon cheann a chaidh dheth ; 
Thar gach duine de 'n robh ann, do b'ionmhuinn leam Fionn an f hleidh. 

Fleadh. 



62 THE BOOK OF [anciext. 



T^EOYG Iwm twUych ni faynith ag ni clerchew fa zeirse 

Is danyth lucht ni billak in nynit clannyth beisknyth 

Dayr missi raa croycliin schell fada wroycliow gi swgych 

Beg a hellis gi tarfin in talgin er di wullych 

Dayr meith skay is sley conn is gyir fad walle 

Ga ta noch.t knok ni fayni fa chleyrcliew is fa wachlew 

Da merra clanni morn ni wee fer nordsi seadtrach 

Di zoyve schew fer grabbil a Iwclit ni baycbill breik 

Da merra m'lowyth si vi curri chalma 

Swl fowkweis in twUych di wee fer cowlytli garryth. 

Da merra clanni carda fir nacMr clielggi bayssew 

Ne weith fer glwkgi fer bachlaa nynit ni bradtych 

Da merra clanni mayvin fer nack banvin in droddew 

Ni weith di wuntir a phatrik gi laydyr er ni cbnoken 

Da merra clan in dew zerri da merra keilti croych 

Ne weith gayr chloogi is chleyrri ga nestich in raa croychin 

Da merra rynne roydda is keilcroy m'creyvin 

Ne weith di loywr la cheyll ir a laywis a bebill 

Is ni Iwrga crwnni di ryn in swll doyne 

Di weith di lorga na brossna da bea osgir er layr 

Ir in trostane woye di ryn in swe swnda 

Math dut nach marrin connan fa manach dorn duta 

Da marrein swlzorm seir conan meil makave ni wane 

A chleyrre ga mor di zorda di wonin zut dorn gi dane 

Da marra m' o zoyni er ni Iwrga crossi 

Di weith di lorga sue mest a bresta fa chaythra clooch 

Ir chlwga mir helim da weith dering na woye 

Di weith di chlog na rabba woya fa edin a chaythre 

Ner zarga shmor a cheyth er gayth geith m'roynan 

Na be di chlog gi hannis ir a wanis a koyllan 

Ni eddwm bi gi sowthych ne agkwm m'kowl si woe 

Ne ekkym dearmit o doywn ne ekkym keilt m'cronan 

Ne hynyth mi way gi dowyth er in tullych so phatrik 

Ne ekkym m'lowth ne ekim in chwllych zrawcht 

Ne ekkim far loo raym heive ne ekkim oskir na . . . 

Ne ekkim in nymirt vor ne ekkim a choanirt cheyf 

Ne ekkim clanni smoyl ne ekkim goUi mor ni gneyf 

Ne ekkim feillane fa.yill ne ekkim na zey in nayn 

Ne ekkim ferris mi wrayir layr meyth layr woalta 

Ne ekkim dyrri doynicht o woymist koyl gi noyrra 

Ne ekkim fa kanyn nach beehow aggin er ayrre 

Ne ekkim ane gar worrin di bi wor torrin a glar 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 63 



Truagh learn tulacli na Feinn, aig na cleirichibh fo dhaoirse, 

'Us dana luclid nam billeag, an ionad clanna Baoisgne, 

Do f haigliear mise a Rath Chruachain, seal fo do bhruachaibli gu sugach, 

Is beag a shaoileas gun tarfainn an Tailgean air do mhuUach. 

Do f haighear mo sgiath 'us sleagh, con 'us gadhair fa d' blialla, 

Ge'd tha an nochd cnoc na Feinn, fo chleirichibh 'us fo bbachlaibh. 

Na 'm maireadh clanna Moirne, ni bhitheadh fear an ordsa seathardha, 

Do gheiblieadh sibh 'ur grabail, a luclid na bacliuile brice. 

N"a 'm maireadh Mac Lughaidh, 's a sd cuiridh chalma, 

Sol fhkgas an tulach, do bhi bhur culaidh gearr.- 

Na 'm maireadh clanna Ceairde, fir nach fir cheileadh basa, 

M bhitheadh bhur cluig 's 'ur bachla, an ionad nam bratach. 

Na 'm maireadh clanna Mudhain, fir nach b'anmhuinn an trodaibh, 

Ni bhitheadh do mhuinntir a Phadruig, gu laidir 'n an cnocaibh. [adhach, 

Na 'm maireadh clann an deagh Ghoraidh, na 'm maireadh Caoilte cru- 

Ni bhitheadh gair chlog 'us chleireach, 'g an disdeachd an Rath Chruachain. 

Na 'm maireadh Raoine ruadha, 'us Gaol crodha mac Reabhain, 

Ni bhitheadh do leabhar r'a cheile, fhir a leughas am Biobul. 

Agus na luirge cruinne, do rinn an siubhail domhain, 

Do bhitheadh do lorg 'n a bhrosna, na 'm bitheadh Osgar air Ikr. 

Fhir an trostain bhuidhe, do rinn an suidh sonda, 

Is maith dhuit nach marruinn Conan, fa bhuineadh dorn duit. 

Na 'm maireadh an Sulghorm saor, Conan maol macamh nam Fiann, 

A chleirich ge mbr do dh' ord, do bhuineann duit dorn gu dian. 

Na 'm maireadh Mac O'Dhuinn, fhir na luirge croise, 

Do bhitheadh do lorga smiste, briste fo charragh cloiche. 

Fhir a chluig mar shaoilim, na 'm bitheadh Daoruing 'n a bheatha, 

Do bhitheadh do chlog 'n a reubach, uaith fa eudan a charraigh. 

An ior dhearg, a sheanair, da chitheadh air gath gaoith Mhic Ronain, 

Ni bhitheadh do chlog gu h-ainnis, fhir a sheinneas an gblan. 

Ni fhaodam bhi gu subhach, ni f haiceam Mac Cumhail 's a bheatha, 

Ni f haiceam Diarmad O'Duinn, ni f haiceam Caoilte Mac Ronain ; 

Ni h-ioghnadh mi bhi gu dubhach, air an tulach so, Phadruig, 

Ni f haiceam Mac Lughaidh, ni f haiceam an coileach grkdhaichte ; 

Ni f haiceam Fear luath u'm thaobh, ni f haiceam Osgar na Feinn ; 

Ni f haiceam an imirt mhbr ni f haiceam a chonairt chaomh, 

Ni f haiceam clanna Smoil, ni f haiceam Gall mbr 'an gniomh. 

Ni fhaiceam Faolan fiall, ni f haiceam 'n a dheigh an Fheinn, 

Ni fhaiceam Fearghus mo bhrkthair, le 'r mithich le 'r mholta, 

Ni fhaiceam Daoire duanach, o'm faigheamaid cebl gach uaire, 

Ni fhaiceam Fatha Canan, nach bi thu againn air uaire. 

Ni fhaiceam aicme dhe 'r foruinn da bu mhbr torrun air clkr. 



64 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Ne ekkim evinis na hoyl ne clwnim in koyl di wee 
Soil di curri mi mi hoo di fronfwn feyn or gi loyit 
Inssim zwt a phadrik da bi zayllwm heclit harsta 
Nach fayddwm a heillow a vacca may zeiviuis agga 
Missi is cleyrre ni bortwis nocha droyinum ra chaal 
Ga ta mee nocht gi dowych, is troygh Iwm tuUycli ni fayne. 

Troyg Iwm. 



Dyth wylelyss myschi zraynnyth hwnggis nayrri w'cowle 

Wee myr it tayme sin nagyn is bert nach fadyr a wUyng 

Dyth zhagis clwycht is couzar er chompan zaw neyss tayr 

Dyth zhagis mnan gin gillaa is dyth wilelis mischi a zraynna 

Dyth zhagis murnd is meygzegr curme is greygzin is garae 

Dyth zhagis clwithi fylli is dyth willis myschi a zraynnaa 

Keiltaa mor is m'lowith deyss er nach drwngi taayraa 

In feyth nayr roywaa rynnaa dyth wilelis mischi a zraynna 

Gold is oskyr is osseyne acma nach corrith partaa 

Dyth bynnwynne leo sen synnyth dyth wylelyss myschi a zraynna 

Fynn fane in agnaa raawoyr is woygh zaifmost failtaa 

Dyth zhagis murndnych hee is dyth wilelys mischi a zraynna 

Myr aweyss in noyf chaythi zoyschi ne hewyr zayrraa 

A coyad oywaa byggi dyth wilelis mischi a zraynnaa 

It doll ter wennew borrifaa is er wollyth forynnych ban . . . 

Ne mor nach tursych synnaa dyth willelis myschi a zraynnaa 

It doll ter ess roygh roiuyth is beg nar obyr my wayle 

Faa rohwyr geltti glinni di villiss missi a zrannyth 

Waym gi faddi is gi haazar a tastil eyrrin ani 

Is trane di woyr sen sinni di williss mischi zrany. 

Di williss missi. 



Lay a royth in dundalgin cowchullin ni grow neynti 
taid ni gur er a gon gin sloig wUi na ochyr 
Halli in noill erin nerre math si waggidir in nane wlli 
Keltith fekkich fowich feine eltych laye za leetiwe 
Gwr bei in nansych wUith mnan chogn clanni rowre 
In cor sen bi degkir reyve cur ris in naltin dawail 
In doychis lawee leich atte dr aythr chonleich 
Ni hoynni giderring dalwe ser winn choUa in gallew 
Gawis in crann tawill glan cowchullin gi . . . 



MODEEN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 65 

Ni f haiceam aoibhneas na 51, ni cluinneam an cebl do blii, 
Sul do chnireadh mi am uaigh, do bhronnainn fdin 5r gu luath. 
Inniseam dhuit, a Phadruig, nam b' ailleam theachd tharsta, 
Nach faodam a fliileadh, na fhaca mi dli' aoibhneas aca. 
Mise 'us Cleiricli nam portos, nocba tarruingeam ri chdile, 
Ge ta mi an nochd gu dubhach ; is truagh leam tulach na Feinn. 

Truagh leam. 



Do f hileas mise a Ghrainne, chunnacas an goire Mhic Cumhail, 

Bhi mar a taim 's an ^igin is beart nach faodar f hulang. 

Do fhkcas cluicbe 'us coghair air chompan ghabb nise tMre, 

Do f hacas mnatban gon gillibli, is do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

Do f hacas muirn 'us meoghar, cuirm 'us greigh ghrinn 'us gkire, 

Do fhacas cluiche fidhle, 'us do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

Caoilte mor 'us Mac Lughaidh, dithis air nach d'rainig tMre, 

Air fioch nior ro mhaith ruinne, do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

GoU 'us Osgar 'us Oisian, aicme nach corra part, 

Do b'ionmhuinn leo sin sinne, do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

Fionn fdin an aigne ro mhir, is uaith a gheibheamaid faillte. 

Do fhacas muirneach e 'us do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

Mar a bhitheas an naoi cathan, dhomhsa ni h-aobhar ghkire, 

A coimhead uaimhe bhige do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

A dol thar bheanntaibh borrafadh, 'us air mhuUach f hormnach hhkn, 

M mor nach tuirseach sinne, do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

A triall tir eas ruaidh romhainn, is beag na'r obair mo fhkil, 

Fa ruathar geillt glinne, do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

Bhitheam gu fad 'us gu h-aithghearr a tasdail Eirinn kine. 

Is treun do f haighear sin sinne, do fhileas mise a Ghrainne. 

Do fhileas mise. 



La a robh an Dundealgain, Cuchulain nan cruth deanta, 

taid con cur air a ghean, gun sluagh uile 'n a f hochair ; 

thair an oil air an dridh mach, gum facadar an Fheinn uile, 

Ceilltach feacach fuathach fa'n ealta luidh dha shleitibh ; 

Gur b'e an annsachd uile, mnathan Choige clanna Rughraidh, 

An cuir sin bu dheacair riamh, cur ris an ealtan d'f haigheail ; 

An dochas laimh laoich ; aiteadar athair Chonlaoich, 

Na h-eoin go Daoirinn dealbhach, saor bhinn Cholla an gallaibh 

Gabhas an crann tabhaill glan Cuchulain gu . . . 



66 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

In lawe bi wath troir er mor ni hoynene gr . . . 
Ryntyr in neltych wo ner zarmit umpith. acli a^vyr, 
Gawis awyr racht fane rynn dayveine ner chart a cheive 
Geltyr wee no errik sin ni kead oyne elli zayvir 
Lar dorchrith er teive a chnok la creif ni norclir nerrik 
In gen tryle hicgid gow caith za anee gin neigiss noynach 
Ni roe fer gin oe orri wei slawre or datrycli 
Hug bancheill chongullin graw dinani di wUim 
Din charrait eintycli aynee lianik a ymill oUanith 
Agris ayvr in nolt trwme a cu rith er clionguUin 
ISTi hoyne mir gylle deith gin skail na liyi umpitli 
Da oyr no tre tilfer leis ni hoyne aldytli sner ammis 
Gir leme couf mir a chur iii wrcliir hor ni liannich 
In hurchir rey ve royve ^en zoU di zaltane gawffee 
Gin virn er wrane di wlyg ryef acli keym sin allane 
Re bleygin ni deach zea act twrss nin nane seach 
Ne hay ymichtych nin nane is inleut ach in twrskail 
Mass fer in dathris a woygr nach darn in cow on chref 
Slat war zall di zrawhe mnaa laywith aig voye a 
..... myn fa reawrew beggane . . . 

feyne in tulg churr ay dels er gi . . . 

Hw a feyne agus garri teive er heive in nane tr za 

Gin darrith Finn di zarri er su zoith na arrith 

Or is twss do wee ann kinnis di warve sew cowU 

Di weyr si zwt mi wrarri er bee zwt orm za earre 

Gir heith mi laive laytich lomm chur in kead za in gowll 

For in caddi'ew zoiss sin a clanni morn mar zilli 

Is wulling is reawor zoif zess dew mathr a varwi 

Mass for in catdrew leat sin Inn vec cowill a halwin 

Leig in carri dr bwnskinni is tog in nallydis chatchin 

A dog mis zew lawe a clann morn is mor grane 

Fa toylling missi wile for gir gow deith eine dwn 

Mass di zlassi tussi sin ymichtin er slycht haithr 

Bith lemenor sinni er linni mir weith ein eillytin chowale 

Gowal chor sinn in woyew cowle hue orn mor withwr 

Gowal di zoichir a mach sinn a greithew ni geith 

Chor dram zeine in nalbin inn is dram elle in dow lochlinn 

In tress dram si zreyg zilli beddit woe cheyl r . . . 

Wemir seableyn deyg a hagwss errin is ner wrag 

ISTer weg in smach downith sinni gin er dew zagkin 

In kead lay choymir er teir zinse errin or weimin 

Warveir dein is ner wraik a ray xvi c dein lay 

Di warvis clanna morn dan leichew is . . . 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 76 

'An laimli bu mhaith treoir air mor na h-eoin gur . . . 

Roinntear an ealta uatha, nior dhearmaid umpa acli Eimhear, 

Gabhas Eimhear raclid fa 'n roinn, deimhin nior cheart a chaoimh ; 

Gealladar bliith 'n a diric sin, na ceud eoin eile dh' Eimhear, 

Le'r torchradh air taobh a chnuic le treibhe nan urchuir an eiric 

An ceann triall thigead gu caithir da ni gon eigis dhuanach, 

M robh fear gun e orra, bhi slabhraidh oir clatrach. 

Thug bancheile Chonchulain grkdh do 'n Ehiann de bheileam, 

Do 'n charaid aontach kine, a thainig a iomall Ullanaich. 

Agras Eimhear an fhuilt truime a cunradh air Chonchulain, 

Na h-eoin mar gheall dith gun sgeul 'n a h-aghaidh umpa ; 

Da uair no tri tillear leis na h-eom aid 's nior amais, 

Gur leum cobh mar a chuir tri urchuir thar na h-eunaibh ; 

An t-urchuir riamh roimh sin dhol da dhaltan gabhaidh, 

Gun mhuirn air mhnathan de bhlagh, riamh ach caoine 's an allan ; 

Rd bliadhna ni deachaidh dha ach tuirse an Fheinn seach, 

M h-e imeachdaich nan Eheinn is ion leat ach an t-ursgeul ; 

Ma 's fior an t-aithris a gheibhear nach tearuinn an Cu o'n chraoibh, 

Slat bhar-gheal de ghrkdh mhnatha, le bhi a bhuaidh ach . . . 

min fa dheireadh beagan . . . 

fein an t-sealg, chuir e dithis air gach aon . . . 

Thu fein agus Garaidh, taobh air thaobh an Fheinn . . . 

Gun d'f harraid Fionn de Gharaidh, air suidhe dha 'n a aire ; 

O'n is tusa do bhi ann, Cionnus a mharbh sibh Cumhal 1 

Do bheirse dhuit mo bhriathar, air bhi dhuit orm 'g a iarraidh, 

Gur h-i mo lamh shleiteach lorn, chur an ceud ghath 'an Cumhal ; 

Fuar an caidreamh dhomhsa sin, a chlanna Moirne mar ghille, 

Is fulangas ro mhor dhomh, dh' fhios duibh m'athair a mharbhadh. 

Ma 's fuar an caidreamh leat sin, Fhinn Mhic Cumhail a h-Almhuin, 

Leig an caradradh buinsgion, 'us tog an alltas choitchin. 

An tog mise dhibh lamh, a chlanna Moirn is mbr grain, 

Fa tualaing mise uile, fuair gur cuidich aon duine. 

Mus do ghluais thusa sin, imeachdain air slighe d'athar, 

Bu leimeanar sinn air linne mur bhi aon ealadhain Chumhail ; 

Cumhal chuir sinn am buaidhibh, Cumhal thug oirnne mor ruathar, 

Cumhal do dhiochuir a mach, sinn do chriochaibh nan coimheach, 

Chuir dream dhinn an Albain fhinn, us dream eile 'an dubli Lochlainn, 

An^treas dream 's a Ghreig ghile, bithead chdile air ioman. 

Bhitheamar se bliadhna deug a h-eugmhais Eirinn 'us nior bhreug, 

Mor bheag an smachd duinn, sinn gun f hear diubh fhaiciun, 

An ceud la chaidheamar aii' tir dh' Innis Eirinn o'n bhitheamar, 

Mharbhar dinn 'us nior bhreug, rd se deug ceud ri aon la ; 

Do mharbhas clanna Moirn de 'n laochaibh ... 



68 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Cha roif eine dwn zew sen nacli cow caydi di v . . . 
Gonith caslane da galnew clanni mom mor vanmnith 
In ginni feyn bi leytich ann a weaniss far nerrin 
Er a lawsi olacli ni wane cha nakgis horri no bar 
Eine neitli ling pask er mi hwle acli fagsin a clioskir 
Hug say teim fame chree re fagsin ni slintee 
Huggimir nein teyg a crithew mowin mor zerg 
A royth gasge in r bassid zown owin a war\a 
Gyn deyve er in twUi bawle ymbi woa dwnni clann chwle 
Ronimir reith nacli royve maule guss in ty in roif cowl 
Huggimir gwn zothin gr fr in gorp chwall zor sleywe 
Gir gar ruggi missi ann in nor a warve she cowall 
Ne gneive roym sclio ma haa dielmissi orr wa mer lay. 

Lay za roymir. 



J 



A houdir so Diincha mor voe lawenacht. 

Mark dwnna a cayle a zoo agis ga vil schrow di zanna 
Agus na ead gawal loa is nach ool wea no hawe 
Agis nach synni corri na port is nach gawe gin locht leye 
Agis nach skurre di chrwt veynni is nach synni mir is meynni 
As marg nach skur da diyng drang agis di rann di ray 
Agis na cluntyr a chrwt is nach tuggis a zayn 
As marg na toyr toye da chael is nach cumi a feyn slan 
As marg a ver trass gi trog ar a vess na rig a lawe 
Da be mi vean annsyth vess neach foygin a zrab go hard 
Di zoofin a cranni fa vonni ga bea neach er a cur merg. 

Mark. 



A houdir so gillie crist talzyr. 

Bennycht di hylych a threnoite a ree pharris port nyn layk 
Di hylych ner zann dit zoe how fan di zalve vlli ead 
Is dutti di chommi seil nawzoe di zroy derk er da nyn sow 
Ir a vennych port is pobbil malych di Iwcht coggi cwUi 
A ta chonurt curst chwUan danew wlk er clannow reicht 
Gyn glwnnum ayr ni gonn gunnith is lane gi gienni doUi zeive 
A lucht cogge er clanni awzoe o nach fadr vea nane dost 
Na geltow a chew ra chael ferten ree nyn grein a gosk 
A lucht cogge er clan awzoe di fre lucifer nyn lube 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 69 

Nochar robh aon duine dhiubh sin nach cumha ceud . . . 

Gonadh caslain do ghalnaibli, clanna Moirne mbr mheanmnach 

An cinneadh Mn bu shleiteach ann am fianuis f hear an Eirinn. 

Air do laimhse, olaich na Feinn, cha-n f hacas shoir no shiar, 

Aon ni thug pasg air mo shuil, ach a faicinn a chosgraidh ; 

Thug se tioma fa 'm chridhe ri faicsinn na slionachaidh, 

Thugamar an aon tigh an criochaibh Mumhain mur dhearga ; 

A ro ghaisge an fhir b' usaide dhuinn f haighinn a mharbhadh, 

Gun diubh air an tulaich thall, am bu bheo daoine chlann Chumhail ; 

Rinneamar ruith nach robh mall, gus an tigh 's an robh Cumhal, 

Thugamar guin dhomhain gach fear, an corp Chumhail dh' ar sleaghaibh ; 

Ger ga 'r rugadh mise ann, an uair a mharbhadh Cumhal, 

Na gniomharan so ma tha, diolamsa orra, bhamar 1^. 

La dh' a robhamar. 



Is e ughdair so Dnnchadli mor Leamlianach. 

Mairg duine a chaill a ghuth, agus 'g a bheil sriuth r'a dheanamh^ 
Agus nach fhaod gabhail luath, is nach oil bhi 'n a thkmh, 
Agus nach seinn cor no port agus nach gabh gun lochd laoidh, 
Agus nach sguir de chruit bhinn, 'us nach seinn mar is miann, 
Is mairg nach sguir dhe dring drang, agus de rann do rkdh, 
Agus nach chiinntear a chruit, 'us nach tuigear a dhan, 
Is mairg nach toir toigh d'a chail, 'us nach cinn e fdin slkn, 
Is mairg a bheir treis gu truagh air a mheas nach ruig a Ihmh, [h-krd, 
Na 'm bitheadh mo mhiann anns a mheas nach f haighinn a ghrabadh gu 
Do ghearrainn an crann fa 'bhun, ge bith neach air an cuiream fearg. 

Mairg. 



Is e ughdair so Gillechriosd TaiUear. 

Beannaich do theaghlach a Thrianaid, a Righ Pharrais port nan ieug. 
Do theaghlach nior dhean de'd dhubh, thu fdin do dhealbh uile iad. 
Is duit do chumadh siol Adhaimh, de ghruaidh dearg air dath nan siigh, 
Fhir a bheannaich port 'us pobuU, malluich do luchd-cogaidh ctiil. 
A ta conairt cursta chuilean, 'deanamh uilc air clannaibh righ. 
Gun cluinneam fabhar nan con guineach, is Ikn gach gleann duile dhiubh. 
A luchd cogaidh air clannaibh Adhaimh, nach faodar bhi 'n an tosd, 
'JST an geall a chaoidh ri chdile, fear tan Righ na grinne a chosg. 
Luchd-cogaidh air clann Adhaimh, de frith Lucifeir nan Itib, 



70 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Na leg foiss na dein dyn drong soo losk a re nyth solsi sowd 
Er deess eich chappil clawych nor is lane dyn clioynnyth cliwUe 
Werrid wpe in nucht nyth selga leggi bruclit a melga moe 
Mallicli nyth selga is a worloye deess eich keithryth is chrv/e 
Di chur drwme ra foyd ni foiche skeiltir kinni a zassre zoe 
A ta gassre vaddi vasslaie er layr inche aid art 
Lane truddyr ead treg a threnoit curseir ead a venoit valk 
Ga zemmi crakkin chon alta agin wm clarsi is wm chrute 
Cha terga clakin foyr fallwe aggin on chonni aalle wlk 
Yr crisd dan sneicht seachin o loch chabbir gow ryn frewith 
Loyth a gonnil da gorpe knawe orchis oik a raith rweith 
Gon ga nerrik sen er scherchew di vak robert nyn royk tee 
A lach venour ni glenni gust is lenonr kenn curst er claa 
A vil vinni zulbin zrenta di vaddrew sooss gu shrow tolve 
Fissi er selgow sissi a soig derk ayr o christ uUi orve 
Gi glwnnym is me in nynvr nissa meilchon skeilli nyn skonni 
Marg ma nea balle ni bokneach gon dea gallyr tutmych trommi 
Scawych connyth elsi is aggait er lucht varve nyn grey glass 
Mak dey lai chre noy nawelych gyth sneach a choyn anvych ass 
Loska gi sywe hay scheith chellin a oone stewart nyn stead braafe 
Mas ber woym gir shreyth schranwoor a choyn zranith zrauwor uigh 
Er zarri oyone steadzil stewart cha learroith cabbir gyn chenn 
Is ead er choUew cass corrych a choynuytli zlassi vongi hoenni. 

Bennych di hylych. 



A lioudir so gilliecalhim iii'yn olle. 

Ne heyvynis gin clyne donil ne coric veith nane naguss 

In eland dyth bar sin gronevyth gir zeve gych done catew 

Clann is ser zor zawe in rowe angnew is awziss 

Clann zar woil ne terin in rowe creud is crawee 

Clann chunlych chalmyth chroyth clann byth loyth in namm throd 

Clann byth venyth in mesk beo is byth chalmyth in gogyth 

Clann byth lenour orryth di oar anyth is ayrewe 

Clann nar chattyth er egliss clann lor veggil in ganyth 

Gythy ane albin oyn clann in croye zawe best 

Gane royve tress gyth ter sawik eil er zasg 

Clann bi vow is bi vir clann bi zrennis bi raith 

Clann di barsingyth crei di bar fydin is fell 

Mek rei nar hoy la in ner in royve dyntyth is trome 

Fir alda olsai one nour in royve brontych is boke 

Clann di bar feine is fasgyth clann di bar gasg lawe 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 71 

Na leig fois, na dean do 'n droing so, loisg a Righ na soillse sM. 
Air dhithis eich chapuill clamhach, 'n uair is Ikn de 'n chuainibh chtiil, 
Bheirid uaipe an uchd na seilg, leigeadh brtichd am meilge muigh.. 
Malluich na seilg 'us a mhortlath, dithis eich ciar 's a chruth, 
Do chiir druim ri foid na faiche, sgaoiltear cinn a ghasraidh dhuibh. 
A ta gasradh mhadadh mhaslacli, air lathair Innse Aid ard, 
Lan trudair iad, treig a Thrianaid, cuirear iad a bliinnid blialg. 
Ge iomadli craicionn ebon alda, againn um cblarsaich 'us um chruit, 
Cha teirc claigionn fuar falamh, againn o'n ebon alda uilc. 
Atbair Chriosd dean snaigheadh seacbuinn Locbabair gu Raon Fraoich, 
Luatb an conuil do'n corp cnkmb, Oicb ! is olc a radb ribb. 
Gun gu'n diric sin air saorchu, do Mbac Robaird nan gruaig tigh, 
Locb Mbenacboir nan gleann gusda, is lionmbor ceann curst air cli. 
A bbeil Bbeinne Gbulbain gbrianta, de mbadraidb suas gu srutb Toilbh, 
Fios air sealgaibh sios a soigb, dearc faigbear Cbriosd uile oirbh. 
Gu cluinneam 'us mi an Inbbirnise, miolchoin a sgaoileadb nan sgonn, 
Mairg mu'n iadh boile nam boganacb, gun d'iadb galar tuitmeach trom. 
Sgiambacb con uailse a's agad, air luchd-marbhaidb nan greidb glas, 
Mac D6 1'a cbridbe naomb neambaidb, gu snaigb a cbuain ainbbeacb as. 
Loisg gacb saobhaidh tba 'n Sitb Cbailein, a Eoin Stiubbart nan steud breagb, 
Mas beir uam gu'r sreitli srannmbor, a cbuain dbreunacb gbreannar ribb. 
Air Gbaraidb Eoin steudghil Stiubbart, cha l^ir dhomb cabar gun cheann, 
'Us iad air choillibh cas corrach, a chonairt ghlas mhuinge th 'ann. 

Beannaich do theaghlach. 



A h-Ughdair so Gillecallum Mac an Ollaimb. 

Ni b-aoibbneas gun chlann Dombnuil, ni comhrag bhi 'n an eugmhais, 

A chlann do b' fbearr 's a chruinne, gur dbiubh gacb duine ceud, 

Clann is saoire de 'r gheibb, an robh eangnath agus aghais, 

Clann do 'r mboil na tirean an robh creidimb 'us crkbbadh. 

Clann chunbbalacb cbalm chrodha, clann bu luaithe an am throd, 

Clann bu mhine am measg bheotha, 'us bu chalma a chog, 

Clann bu lionmbor orra, do fhuair aithne 'us aireamb, 

Clann nar chathaich air eaglais, clann le 'r am b'eagal an cMneadb, 

Gacb aon an Albainn uaine, a chlann is cruaidh ghabh baisde. 

Dh' an robh treas gacb tire, seabhag fhial air ghaisge, 

Clann bu mho 'us bu mhear, clann bu ghrinn 'us bu rdidh, 

Clann do 'm b'fbarsuinn cridhe, do b'fhearr foighidin 's Mle, 

Mic righ nior thoill an aor an robh diontachd a's troma, 

Fir allda uailse o'n uair, an robh bronntachd 'us bocbda, 

Clann do 'm b'fhearr fion 'us fasgath, clann do 'm b'fhearr gaisge laimhj 



72 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

01k lome gyrrit ernyth in ve lar sneyve iu snaitlit 

Ner bait nyth drochir voyr na ni fir lowore lage 

Re dol in nanit vole fir nacb croye nyth cragi 

Clann gin nouor gin naikgor nar zove ach eddoil chogge 

Gar vonnytli den olsai is gar vonyth boddi 

Mark vor ruggi in nyin mark a zyil rane gaddrew 

Gyn nyne clann niir clann donil ser clann byth cliorit agna 

Gyn arew er yth urdil gyn concta er in dossew 

Gyn creich gyn tuss gyn derra er anyth ag in olsewe 

In dossych clynnyth donil de vee folim ga faynyth 

Is di wi nane derryth fein is anyth is nar 

Er vi'one is er hursa dyth reyggis twgss is folym 

Gyth inne orcht reggis ne hej^enis gin chlynn donil 

Bi trane geith in torrin, fan acmaa chrionda corit, 

Ga tayd in dew fa zevis, ne hevynis gin chlynn donil 

Na sloye vor is in grinne, ym murn si myr si wonyth 

Ne gorith vi na vaguss, ne hevynis gin clynn donil 

Makane lave na wymmyth dor seryth er gych dorin 

Ga ta ai zone delis ne hevynis gin chlynn donil. 

Ne heyvynis. 



OcHAGANE is sai so in kenn di we er connil ny gormlane 
In kenn za doaryth ein nwUi, di bossil ay is di binvin 
Ochagane is sai so in towill di we in kenn connil knessi 
In towle ma nea in narvryth di beale ee is boskirrych 
Ochagane is a so in bail er nach doar fiUi fanskail 
Bail tani is derkga na nwUe blass mallith er bail connil 
Ochagane is a so in lawe we er connil mak skanlainn 
Lawe firre bi chroeith in nymzwn lawe chonnil mi cheadinvin 
Ochagane is a so in teive riss in seinmist ir sliss ser 
Is sa maddi oo mwlli gow moil o laei ooyn er a heive 
Ochagane is e so a chass nach teycha rooe leich za awivyf 
Cass firri bi chroith in gaiew cass vec skanlane ska 
Oych is sa in raa vee an connil gith traath mwcht 
In nocht harrych nyth skail is sai balle nyn dear is ni noch 

Ochagane. 



A lioudir so sayane clmoiddurt. 

A chinn dermit a echarbre ga loyr hare agis toyill 

Chay wor loymmi maid di zokgir ga teith i groith reith coyt 



MODEKN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOEE. 73 

Olc learn giorrad earnaidh, a bhith le 'r sniomhadh an sn^th, 

Mor b'iad na droch fhir mhiodhar, no na fir liomhara laga, 

Ri dol ann an ionadaibh olc, fir nach cruaidhe a cbraig. 

Clann gun uabhar, gun eucoir, 'n uair glieibh iad eudail chogaidh, 

G'ar bliuineadh daoine uailse, agus 'g ar bhuineadh bodaicb, 

Mairg 'r rug an dion mairg a dheilich r' an caidrimh, 

Gun aon chlann mar chlann Dombnuil, saor chlann bu chomhrad aigne. 

Gun aireamli air an urdail, gun chuntadh air an duaisibh, 

Gun chriocb, gun tiis, gun deireadh, air eineach aig an uailsibb. 

An toiseacb chlann Domlmuil, do bhi foghlum 'ga Mthneadh, 

Agus do bhi 'n an deireadh, fion 'us eineach 'us nkire. 

Air bhrbn 'us air thursa, do ruigeas tuigse 'us foghlum, 

Gach fhineadh orra ruigeas, ni h-aoibhneas gun chlann Domhnuil. 

Bu treun gaoth an torrunn, fa 'n aicme chrionda chomhrad, 

Ge taid an diugh fo dhimeas, ni h-aoibhneas gun chlann Domhnuil. 

Na sleigh mhbr 'us an greann, am muirn, am meaghar s' am foghainteachd, 

Ni cbire bhi 'n an eugmhais, ni h-aoibhneas gun chlann Domhnuil. 

Macan laimh a mhuime d'fhuair saoradh air gach doruinn, 

Ge ta e dhuinne dileas, ni h-aoibhneas gun chlann Domhnuil. 

Ni h-aoibhneas. 



OcHAGAN ! is e so an ceann, do bhi air Conull nan gormlann, 
An ceann dha 'n d'fhuaradh an iul, a b'uasail e 'us a b'ionmhuinn, 
Ochagan ! is e so an t-suil do bhi an ceann Chonuill chneasda, 
An t-suil mu'n iadh an fhabhrad, do b'f hialaidh i 's a b'osgarach. 
Ochagan ! is e so am beul air nach d'fhuair filidh fannsgeul, 
Beul tana a's deirge na 'n ubhal, bias meala air beul Chonuill, 
Ochagan ! is e so an lamh, blia air Conull Mac Scannlain, 
Lamh fir bu chruaidh an iomghuin, lamh Chonuill mo cheud ionmhuinn. 
Ochagan ! is e so an taobh, ris an sineamaid ar slios saor, 
Is e madadh Muile gu maol luidh Eoin air a thaobh. 
Ochagan ! is i so a chos nach teicheadh roimh laoich dha bhitheadh, 
Cas fir bu chruaidh an cathaibh, cas Mhic Scannlain sgiathach, 
Oich ! is e an rath bha an Conull gach trkth an bhi moch 
An nochd theirig mo sgeul is e baile nan deur 'us nan och. 

Ochagan. 



A h-Ughdair so Seathan Clinoideart. 

A chinn Diarmaid O'Charbair, g'a leor aire agus tuaghal, 
Cha mhbr learn meud do dhocair, ge ta e cruaidh ri chuadh. 




74 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Cha troyg Iwmmi fad zroyk zrannicht, no geith glennich 
Chay troyg lorn gae id chaylow a chinn dermit echarbre 
Mark a smein a veyym brayd nach bee nawa di chardis 
Ocht is mark nar heilli teaclita a cMnn dermit echarbre 
Di Willi letti reitb. eillith far ymirt eine is argit 
Ga tey in drillis wr eyrnich a chinn dermit echarbre 
Keith eilli nin gorn coythoill na chnr honor er chartin 
Mark a chreachta a chness neafzall a chinn dermit echarbre 
luvin loym a wa«s werri na zoythle oyr no argit 
Is lar wansicli fley is feyth a chinn dermit echarbre 
Ea rom er reith nyn uestill in teith faskis la . . . 
Duarrticht fest o feanon a chinn dermit echarbre. 

A chinn dermit. 



Auctor hiijus Gormlyee nee lyne. 

Dwrsin wr er hwcht a neill dursin dowyn ir toyth er hoye 
Gin terf in nolsyth na neif oss marf reith toyskyrte toye 
Drwme re seill ewin in nae mir a zonee a zae wee 
Wye er lynefF go leyr o clyne naill tayfrith in ter 
Daik mee m'cwlenane keif waa me ag mirogane mor 
Di beyvin mo hell ag neell gall mo naeve go ner ag oill 
Da zeywyn fleygh agus feine di verre crye di gi clar 
Ma ta seyh in naeild neiwe keit nach beeow neif ag neell 
Nocha naga fer mir neell di bi zale ae ach a zlownyth 
Fa math a waysith si naewe tass a cheyve is glass a howle 
Dass freich er in warga vor teik in zeith sin nart da nar 
Di chrommi in neyl er a zlown logis gin scur erri gin naell 
M wa.rris sonis na schee ne skurris a zeith za gior 
Gin nassith er chroymg na er chreif o wass re on wothirn wor 
Tre wass v'key in neell inde fa dolle dreym riss in dronig 
Re gai beith coyth agis cwrn di heill chwyne is toyle teynn 
Da essi is follew gi rath is trome mo chrye za chrow 
Beith no zey gin deith ymbraach tayvir gin ta mir a dow. 

Dwrsin. 



Gormlee nee Lyne. 

Ber a vanne lett di choss tokg in ness di heyve naill 
Is rawor churris di chree er in tee la leyvfin feynn 
Ro adde a teith a vanne har a cur cree er naill nar 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 75 

Cha truagh learn fo do gliruaidh glireannaich, na gaoithe gleannaich, 
Cha truagh learn 'gad cheangladh, a chinu Diarmaid O'Cliarbair. 
Mairg an smuain a bha am braghad, nach bu naimhdeas do chairdeas, 
Och is mairg 'n nair shaoileadh teachd, a cliinn Diarmaid O'Cliarbair. 
Do mhilleadh leat Righ He, fear imirt fliion 'us airgid, 
Dha ta an trillis ur earnach, a cliinn Diarmaid O'Cliarbair. 
Righ He nan corn cuachail, a chuireas onoir air chairdean, 
Mairg a chreuchd a chneas neamhgheal, a chinn Diarmaid O'Charbair. 
lonmhuinn leam a bhos mhear nach doichleadh br no argiod, 
'Us le'r b'annsa fleadh 'us fiadhach, a chinn Diarmaid O'Charbair. 
larram air Righ nan Abstol an ti a phaisgeas le a f heartaibh, 
D'a fhurtachd am feasd phianaibh, a chinn Diarmaid O'Charbair. 

A chinn Diarmaid. 



Auctor hujus Gornilaidli nic Fhlainn. 

Dursan iiir air uchd an Neill, dursan doimhne fhir tuaith air 'uaigh 
Gun tairbhe an uailse na niamh, o's marbh righ tuaisgearta tuaith. 
Druim ri saoghal aoibhin an aigh, mar a ghonadh dha a bhi, 
Bhi air a shloinneadh gu Idir o Chloinn Neill ta fri an tir. 
Dh' fhkg mi Mac Cuilenain caomh do bha mi aig Muireagain mbr, 
Do b'aoibhin mo shaoghal aig Niall, geal mo niamh gun eur ag bl. 
Do gheibhinn fleagh agus fion, do bheireadh credh do gach cl^ir, 
Ma tha se an dail n-aoin, ciod nach bitheadh neamh aig Niall 1 
Nocha n'f hac mi fear mar Niall, do bu gheal e ach a ghlim, 
Fa maith a mhaise 's a niamh, taise a chiabh 'us glas a shuil. 
Dh' fhks fraoch air an fhairge mhoir, tig a gliaoth 's a neart de 'n ear, 
Do chrom an Niall air a ghlun leigeas gun sgur air gun eala ; 
Ni bheireas sonas no sith, ni sguireas a ghaoth dhe a gloir, 
Gun easbhuidh air chronag no air chraoibh, bhks righ o'n mhuirn mhbr ; 
Troimh bhks Mhic Aoidh O'Neill an d^ fa duilich dream ris an droing, 
Righ ge b'e cuach agus cuirn, do sbiol Chuinn is tuaghal teann ; 
D'a easbhuidh is falamh gach rath, is trom mo chridhe d'a chruth, 
Bhi 'n a dheigh gun dith am brkth, an t-aobhar gu tathamar dubh. 

Dursan. 



Gormlaidli nic Fhlainn. 

Beir, a mhanaich, leat do chos, tog a nis de thaobh an NMll, 
Is ro mhor a chuireas do chrd air an ti le 'n luidhinn fdin ; 
Ro f hada a ta a mhanaich shiar a' cur crd air Mall an kir, 



76 THE BOOK OF [anciei^t. 

Go kayn voyt a charre zonn na bonny di wonni re lay 
Na do win gi daein in noye oich a chleyrre troye di hoisg 
Toygga di neyll zlowndow zall ber a wanne lat di clioss 
M'eneyll in noyr inn ne dyn zoyn a we fa cliriss 
Faykgir a lechta is a ert ber a wanne lat di choss 
Is mee gormlay chummis ryne nee lyne chroith . . . 
Na beith tessew er a lecht ber a wanne lett di clioss. 

Ber. 



Creathtith sin a vakkeive vor ga bee sloye ler barli how 
Ga ta tow gi tursich tinni is doe linni di weith fa clowtb 
X c long a greyg ni gayill is gin di weith ach trear sae 
Di zayssi zoyve naew tarm is lea ymmirwe nassi ymboe 
In sloyg sin gin nymit sleyg ne ymboe far weithe eicth. 
Warwidir di hessir ser hiigit id heive ymit caich 
Zid turtich er neiw di zonni gwysyth ort agis gwe feynn 
Er murrith waythr ni bocht mi pheddir lat is mo chre 

Creathtih. 



A lioudir so so feylim m' dowle. 

Ne math swille sin donich ga bee chongvis in ter 

Ne math meith clowth a chenich ne math fammyth mnaei begh 

Ne math screyve gin oylwme ne math coyrin gi gortyth 

Ne math erle gin wearle ne math marrych na voddych 

Ne math espic gin varrin ne math aneive er hanor 

Ne math saggirt er laithwUi ne math parsone gith derrell 

Ne math longfort gin nimirt ne math innilt gi roith lessga 

Ne math earlow gin termin ne math tempill gin relik 

Ne math ben gin weith narrich ne far clarsich gin tead 

Ne math coggith gin chalmyth ne math gawle phort gin warrich 

Ne math meydin gith kautich ne math deyvris ir aneich 

Ne math caslane gin iyr ne math darmit chon teach 

Ne math gin wrrwm daithyr ne math lavvirt ne meshga 

Ne math skaane gin yvir ne math cleynith ni bree 

Ne math cardis nin newill did vak a reithin rath our 

Ga zoyrsee seill aw ne math zawsin a chroichyth 

Ne math leyor gin twsgsyth ne math dwnni gin charit 

Ne math fillith gin yvir ne math eilcloth gin tallyth 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 77 

Gu caoin uait a chara dhuinn, ria buineadh do bhuinn ri Ikr ; 
Na duin gu dion an uaigh ocli ! a clileirich. truagh do thoisg, 
Tog de Mall gblundubh gheal, beir, a mhanaich^ leat do chos ; 
Mac O'N'eill an oir fhinn, ni de'm dheoin e bhi fo chrios, 
Fkgair a leaclid 'us a f heart, beir a mbanaicli leat do chos ; 
Is mi Gormlaidh chumas rainn, nic Fhlainn chruaidh Dhun rois 
Na bi ad sheasamh air a leachd, beir a mhanaich, leat do chos. 

Beir a mhanaich. 



Creuchdadh sin, a mhaca mhoir, ge bith sluagh le'r tharladh thu, 
Ge ta tu gu tuirseach tinn, is toil leinn do bhi fo chliii ; 
Deich ceud long a Greig nan Gaidheal, is gun do bhi ach triar saor. 
Do ghabhas dhoibh neimh d' arm, 'us le iomarbhaidh an f had 's am beb 
An sluagh sin gon iomadh sleagh, ni am beb fear bhi eachda, 
Mharbhadar do sheisir saor, thug iad a 'd thaobh iomadh cath ; 
Dh' ad fhurtachd air nimh do ghuinidh, guidheas ort agus guidh fdin, 
Air Muire mathair nam bochd, mo phaidear leat agus mo chreud. 

Creuchdadh. 



Is e uglidair so Pheilim Mac Dliughaill. 

Ni maith siubhal 's an domhnaich ; ge bith chumas an t-saor. 

Ni maith michliu a chinnidh ; ni maith feamachd mnatha beith. 

Ni maith sgriobhadh gun fhoghluim ; ni maith caoruinn gu goirt. 

Ni maith larla gun bheurla ; ni maith maraich 'na bhodach. 

Ni maith easpuig gun bharun ; ni maith ainimh air sheanair. 

Ni maith sagairt air leth shula ; ni maith parson gu dearoil. 

Ni maith longphort gun imirt ; ni maith innilt gu ro leisg. 

Ni maith earf hlaith gun tearmunn ; ni maith teampull gun reilig. 

Ni maith bean gun bhi naireach ; no fear clarsaich gun teud. 

Ni maith cogadh gun chalmachd ; ni maith gabhail phort gun mharaich. 

Ni maith maighdean gu cainteach ; ni maith doibhreas fhir ainf heich. 

Ni maith caslan gun oighre ; ni maith dearmad chon teach. 

Ni maith gun urram d 'athair ; ni maith labhairt na misge. 

Ni maith sgian gun fhaobhar ; ni maith claonadh na breth. 

Ni maith cairdeas nan diabhul ; do 'd mhac a rioghain rath oir, 

Ge dh' fhoir se siol Adhaimh, ni maith dhasan a chroiche. 

Ni maith leughair gun tuigse ; ni maith duine gun charaid. 

Ni maith filidh gun aobhar ; ni maith aoilchludh gun talla. 



78 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Ne math eadytli gin owkkith ne math sowkgryth gin garrith 
Ne math meizneive aworrith ne math poissith gin nanyth 
Ne math corroyn gin warrith ne math traive sin neich 
Ne math eyggiss gin chawis ne math craw gin nenich. 

Ne math. 



Di quhoye missi robert feyn di vanistir in ney nwnni 

Agis neir leagow mee is steach o nach royth mo venni fer rum. 



FoYACH lam anit a treyl foach lam clar er ym beith ben 
Foyach lam dobbroyn is doith neill foyach lam balle mor gin zann 
Foyach lam droch wen ag far math foyach lam flath er ym be groyme 
Foyach lam doech annin is he der foyach lam donyth ser gyn stoyme 
Foyach lam a choggi na heith nach a leggir a neith mane seacht 
Foyach lam kannort garwe chroy foyach lam sloge nach dany cacht 
Foyach lam beith faddi ri port foyach lam weith gi holg fane weig 
Foyach lam ben eaddor is ee drow foyach lam con nach marw in feygh 
Lesk lam dol in nerrin schear o nach marrin brane na fonn 
Foyach lam brantrych gin wea marri foyach lam far is agne tromm 
Foyach lam caillicht is oik naill agis a tangyth gi bar loith 
Ne ea dwm a chorri in geyll gith neith in duggis feyn foath. 

Foath. 



Gerroyd eiie. 

Marga a leymis herr3^h a each tuggi gi nach less in naaill 

Gin dimeich mi chwddi orm feyn ne ell feym be riss nyth mnawe 

Mi wallich a mesgi njih banni ga di weym schalli no in daill 

Mer rew hay gin cheyle ne ell feym be riss nyth mnawe 

A zayg a zeyrris gi moch ne weith scheith gin locht no dale 

Da ganfeit ne by leyr ne ell feym be riss nyth mnawe 

Farre lay heine wneith weiss gin rath far nach math in dossith nawe 

Na kead lollich a neith geym ne ell feym be riss nyth mnawe 

A wennith a neith in testyth dowf a zestis re gow is re glaiw 

Mar gi bi na clossew keyr ne ell feym be riss nyth mnawe 

Carit sclie ferk er a fer keichlai genn riss gith dawe 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOKE. 79 

Ni maith eididh gun f hucadh ; ni maith sugradh gtin ghkire. 
Ni maith mighniomh aghmliora ; ni maitli pbsadh gun kithne ; 
Ni maith coroin gun bhkr ; ni maith treabhadh 's an oidhche. 
Ni maith eigeas gun chaomhas ; ni maith crabhadh gun aithne. 

Ni maith. 



Do chaidh mise Robart fdin, do mhainisdear an dd a nunn, 
Agus nior leigeadh mi a steach, nach robh mo bhean marrium. 



FuATHACH leam bhi annaid a triall; fuathach learn clar air am bi bean; 
Fuathach leam dobhrbn 'us dubhneul ; fuathach leam baile mbr gun ghean ; 
Fuathach leam droch bhean aig fear maith ; fuathach leam flath air am bi 

gruaim ; 
Fuathach leam deoch anmhuinn 'us e daor ; fuathach leam duine saor gun 
Fuathach leam a chogadh 'n a shith ; nach leig a ni mu 'n seach ; [stuaim ; 
Fuathach ceannard garbh cruaidh ; fuathach leam sluagh nach dean cath ; 
Fuathach leam bhi fad ri port ; fuathach leam bhi gu h-olc mu 'n bhiadh ; 
Fuathach leam bean eudmhor 'us i druth ; fuathach leam cii nach marbh 
Leasg leam dol an Eirinn siar, nach marrainn Brian nam fonn ; [am fiadh ; 
Fuathach leam bantrachgun bhi mear ; fuathach leam fear 'us 'aigne trom ; 
Fuathach leam cailleach is olc neul, agus a teangaidh gu beur luath ; 
Ni f haodam a chur an ceill, gach ni dha 'n tugas fdn fuath. 

Fuathach. 



Gearailt larla. . 

Mairg a leumas thar a each, tuigeadh gach neach leis an aill, 

Gun d'imich mo chuid orm f^in, ni bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh. 

Mo mhallachd am measg nam ban, ge do bhitheam seall 'n an dail, 

M' fhearaibh tha gun ch^ile, ni bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh. 

A gheug a dh' eireas gu moch, ni bhi sith gun lochd n'a dkW, 

Da canfaid ni bu leir, ni bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh. [nkmh, 

Fear le h-aon mhnaoi bhitheas gun rath, fear gun mhaith an toiseach 

Na ceud luUaich a ni geum, ni bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh. 

A bhean a ni an t-disdeachd domh, a dh' disdeas ri guth 'us ri glaodh, 

Mar gum bitheadh 'n a cluasaibh cdir, ni bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh. 

Cuiridh si fearg air a fear, caochladh gean ris gach daimh, 



8o THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Curresceith nedrumi a keyme ne ell feym be riss nyth mnawe 
Da wakgit sche schillith a sowllith di zillanyth or won. . . . 
Ne zanic sclie richt ach leyiii ne ell feym be riss na mnawe 
Da wakkeith maediu or oyge za in durri poyk gith salve 
Da ymbeith bayl deith weith er clar ne ell feym be riss nytli mnawe 
Powysyth won altir is woyn cheill a laif in taggirt zrinn zrae 
Dolle gi holgith is a mayn ne ell feym be riss nytb mnawe 
Ne elli feym be riss nyth mnawe is eydde a glayf is a verg 
Gi neach nach curri syn a geyll ne heddir nach d feyn is mark. 

Marg. 



Auctor hiTJiis Andro tosscliycli. 

Scoyd neyn dnnche a hayd eine scoyd is mow pleyd sloywg 

Scoyd ag dae is a wreeith scoyd ni geitli a liarbill roy 

Heill ni toythin mi vea balve is ni tre hoyvir gin ran woyme. 



Auctor liujus im bard m'ynteir. 

Cred eith in long soo er loch inchsyth na veadis a haithrynsyth 

Cred hug in long er in loch is nach feadi ni fwnni a follych 

EafFre de bail lamm ka lar leggi in leythin 

Er in locht fa lane fergith gith mnth fa dail deveit 

In garve zeith varri benni no in synteith serve schrowth zlen 

Zoydith in cherwe won claddych er in choyne zarve zoyssidych 

Ogleich chonnik in charve er in schrowth oyhorr ag garve 

Keddey a heynyth na hynsyth na feyryth za forrinsyth 

Senn long gin nearni gin derri ner iddir sinni a sawilt 

JSTeyn Iwng eith zi laythir lane gou twnni ni haythir imlane 

Bwrdi zi skythew deilloik dowth o correw seiss na slissew 

Tarni gin oyyme gai foyme er a woythchin ard inhor 

Cred ee in lowht oyd sin Iwg zoe ga torrin eddir honnew 

An Iwcht gin cheddrew gin cheyll baantrych in naknyth awree 

Boein wroskgilyth wrewnych lot wr donnyth decbewnych 

Scherryth connissych keikrych gyn nith donnith droch zentych 

Droch lorg is laywryth fa linni coissryth cley nanyth cotchin 

Flesk in goara gin choomn meskyth oyranith eddrwme 

Coissryth tone zarve nin dolle tee ma za liss locha hynsith 

Di boyl lit sin Iwngi gi leyr er zrwme oyrree in nagwaill 

Ben waith ne lawyth sin Iwng lyit a heagin aggin 

Beith ni mnawen is melsith er a vurri fest gin chaich ga in gowr 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 8i 

Cuiridh si an eudruime a ceum, ni bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh. 
Da faiceadh si sileadh an sWa, do ghillean ut o'n . . . 
JSTi dheanadh si ruitli acli leum, ni bheil feum blii ris na mnathaibh. 
Da faiceadh maighdean hi hg, dha'n toireadh pbg gu seimh, 
Da am bi beul do bhi air clkr, ni bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh. 
Pbsadh o'n altar 'us o'n chill, i laimh an t-sagairt ghrinn ghrkidh, 
A dol gu h-olc 'us a mbin, ni bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh. 
M bheil feum bhi ris na mnathaibh, is iad an glaodh 'us an f hearg, 
Gach neach nach cuir sin an cdill, ni h-eudar nach da fdin is mairg. 

Mairg. 



Is e ughdair so Anndradh Toiseach. 

Sgoid nighinn Dunchaidh a Thaid, aon sgoid is mo pleid sluaigh, 
Sgoid aig Daibhidh 'us a mhnaoi, sgoid na gaoith ^ h-earball ruaidh. 
Shaoil na tuathan mi bhi balbh, 'us na tri aobhar gun rkn nam. 



Is e ughdair so am bard Mac an t saoir. 

Creud i an long so air Loch Innse, na dh' f heudas a aithris, 
Creud thug an long air an loch, nach faod na fuinn a folach. 
Febrach do b'aill learn, cia le 'r leigeadh an lion, 
Air an loch fa Ikn. feirge, gach mugha fa dhil do bhi. 
An garbh ghaoth bhar beinne, no na sianta searbh sruth ghlinne, 
Gheibhteadh a chairbh o'n chladach, air a chuan gharbh ghuaisideach. 
Oglaich, a chunnaic a chairbh, air an t-sruth aghmhora gharbh, 
Ciod e a h-ioghnadh 'n a innseadh na fhuaireadh d 'a foirinnse 1 
Seann long gun iarna gun deireadh, nior idir sin a samhailt. 
An aon long de leathar Ikn, gu tuinn ni thathar iomlan. 
Buirde de sgiathaibh deileig dubh, o coiribh sios 'n a sliosaibh, 
Tairgne gun fheum 'g a faitheam, air a fuath chinn ard eanchair. 
Creud i an luchd oighe 's an long dhubh, 'g a tarruing eadar thonnaibh, 
An luchd gun chaidrimh gun chiall, bantraich an aigne aibhrigh, 
Buidhean bhrosgalach bhruidhneach, lod tir dona deuchainneach, 
Sior chonasach, ciocrach, guineach, dona, droch-dheantach ; 
Droch lorg 'us labhradh fa leinn, coisridh cleamhanach coitchin, 
Fleasg an comhradh gun chom, misgeach, oranach, eudrom ; 
Coisridh ton-gharbh nan doUaidh, ta ma dha shlios Loch Innse, 
Do buaileadh leatsa an long gu Idir, air dhruim odhar an eugbhail ; 
Bean mhaith ni lamhadh 's an luing, liuthad a h-digin againn, 
Bithidh na mnathan is miosa air a mhuir, feasd gun each 'g an cobhar. 

G 



82 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Royegir in long as in loclit er in saill sclirowtli zarve swlich 
Geith in lanvin ni Iwg gow senn row nyth sanenych 
Faik myn er in schrow seitlinytli in long zonniclit zroithzenych 
Si lane di wantrych ni baid sin taaill gin salmmi gin saale cliread 

Creaddyth. 



J 



ToREisKALLE tylHch zownnoUe grass lag wo ni dimmon tread 
Innin din wroid sin is din waddyth keithkr gow foill wradde ead. 



A lioiidir so oone m'miirreicli. 

Nawyth. zoe in dane da in dwgi each sowd 
Na lig a vekzey mee si feane in dew 
Beg a heyle in skol mi zayn a zoU fowm 
A dayn tarle rinn is scliea zi weill meith 
Is moo wuUe dim zeith riss fa thre na ee 
A tegwaill doo zowf di weith cloocli no skay 
Air wen in dayn deim is mor meith. is merg 
Kness mir chow er tonn glak chor is . . . 
Bail er dath nyn sowe trog mo chrow er schare 
Od chotlysyth in ryir troyg a zea mo chorr 
Di we sche far rowm er Iwm kin gar royve 
Gin ee ann o loo di choy er wroin doyth 
Tin neach feicht coole russ is trom ri raye 
Coyk fleska nin sneim it ta in nanm ni mna 
Troyg gin eie fame wree er ni bree o cha . . . 
Da wyginsyth feyne gi rar hor in daw 
Slygh chonchwUin charn each teyg in teach bane 
Skayth corkrych kin zayk fai meith head er chath 
Schewle eeche v'erge ga mor sin ra raye 
Owch is mo fa rer mo zeith riss in dane. 



Duncha m°a pharsone. 

Allex'* in di threig tw in zroyme na in vead schew a cur roeyve er layr, 
In dan schewe in bliyn gin zey na ym beith scheve mir schen gi brach 
Cheith nein doaris di zen o teith tow gi schen laeth 
Maiss er zroyme veiss in rath is mor hoayr how zi wath o zea. 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LTSMOEE. 83 

Kuagar an long as an loch air an t-skil sruth gharbh siubhlach, 
Gaoth an leanmhuinn na luinge, gu seann rubh nan Seananach. 
F^gaidh mi air an t-sruth seana, an long ghuineach dhroch-dheantach, 
'S a Ikn de bhantraich nam beud, 's an t-s^il gun salma gun sal chreud. 

Creud. 



I 



TuAiEiSGEUL teaghlaich DhunoUaimh, grks lag na d'ioman trend ; 
lonann do 'n bhrtiid sin 'us do 'n mhadadh, ciocrach gu feoil bhradaidh iad. 



Is e ughdair so Eoin Mac Mtiuirich. 

Nimheach dbomli an dan, da an tuig each sud, 

Na leig a Mhic Dhd, mi 's a phdin an diugh. 

Beag a shaoil an sgoil, mo dhkn a dhol fo bhinn 

An dkn tarladh ruinn, is si do mhill mi, 

Is mo a bheil de 'ni ghaoth, ris fa thri na i, 

A teugbhail dubh dhomh, do bhi cloch 'na sgeith. 

Air bhean an dMn tiom, is mor m'fhioch 'us m'fhearg, 

Cneas mar chobhar tonn, glac chorr is deirge. 

Beul air dath nan siigh, tug mo chruth air soirthe, 

O'd chodladsa an raoir, truagh a Dhd mo chor. 

Do bhi si far rium, air learn gun gkire robh, 

Gun i ann 16, do chaidh air bhrbn domh. 

Duibh na fitheach a cul, ruis is trom a rkdh, 

Coig fleasg 'n an snaim, a ta an ainm na mnath. 

Truagh gun i fo 'm bhreith, air a breith chach, 

Da f haighinnse fdin, gu ri'r fhuair an daimh. 

Sleagh Chonchulain charna, each Taoigh an eich bhain, 

Sgiath chorcrach gun ghkig, fa maith h-iad air chath, 

Siubhal eich Mhic Eire, ge mor sin ri rkdh, 

Och is mo fa rdir, mo ghaoth ris an dkn. 



Duncha Mac Phearsoin. 

Alastair, an do threig thu a ghruaim, no am faod sibh a cur uaith air Ikr, 
An d'f han sibh am bliadhna gun Dhia, no 'm bi sibh mar sin gu brkth, 
Chaoidh ni 'n d'fhuaireas do ghean, ta tu gu scan liath, [0 Dhia. 

Ma 's ann air gruaim a bhitheas an rath, is mbr a fhuair thu a mhaith 



8.4 THE BOOK OF [anciekt. 



Caithrir weitli er oye in ir er fert allx^ oye ree 

Di cliansit brayr reith gin wreyk osskanni ni flatli finzreyk 

Dowirt in kaid er zeyve di wemirin ney fane reitli 

Sloye in doythin troy eg in dayll gay id taa in dew na anythrane 

Di weith in ney dey reith in donane dwnne na warkkeich er tallwon truina 

Ga zea in tallow id ta in newe na warkkeich er a wonsin 

Id dowirt in tress owdir glik weitli ym beitli in ney ag m-pliillip 

In newe ag noclia nell a lieacht troeitli zin talwou 

Allex'^ miirnycli raor allexandir hesgeith ergit is oyr 

In newe erss in carrew far id ta in toyr gi liasgaissey 

Mak pliillip phelm oss crannew in ree oss ni readlainew 

In toyr oss ni scheadew slane in meill moyr ossin braddane 

In loyvin oss cbarrew gin blyi in nirwoye ossin nane laithe 

Sleyw scheioyne oss gi sleywe slayue oss gi sclirow schrow oyrrelane 

In laik loyor oss ni cloicliew in "wnrri oss minroytliew 

Sownirrich in warritli gin none ayue erri oss errow tallwon 

Ayne err oss errew tallwon acht reitli neyve is neyve liallwone 

Reith teynni nin draid is nin dork kenni nin gaid agus nin garrith 

Choyraa nin nowdir a beir er deacht er oye in nard reith 

Ne cliosswill ra beith zlar bainn er chansidir in caithrir. 

Caithrir. 



A howdir soo ooyne rn'murreicli. 

Fir albin is ne eayd a wayne niir marrin m'gregar 
Kay leine di chorreich a chossgir rnaiss olli er allestir. 



Finlay ym bard royg say liowird soo. 

Gyllyth gith seith zin each oozr gylli di weithis issi 
Fo hee woyichis si chossni gi neith loyis missi 
Urrwme a loytha ga cossew gow roytliir a wreiss 
Notythseith neynyth a tressi si cheillith ga soiwe 
Ne oonyn sayd da caythwe re yig a reiytli 
Ne ym braik torriskall in eachsin stead loyildach gast 
In dow seywlin is ray is coswil na iyr in lay macha 
Ga zarrik ym maid sie gossnew ne hor eaid na ir nathna 
Mir bi kithly geitli di knokev/ roith ni seith in dachis 
Mor cayd lor awsycli a swil lied mir hawsyth seachew 
Each in nee sei-rith ri sayid a gneiwreith is granta 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 85 



Ceathrak bhi air uaigh an fhir, air feart Alastair uaibhricli, 

Do chansaid briathra gun bhrdig, os cionn an fhlatha Fionnghr^ige. 

Dubhairt an ceud fhear dhiubh, do bhitlieamar an d4 fa 'n righ, 

Sluagli an domhain, truagh an dkil, ge a ta an diugb 'na aonaran. 

Do bhi an dd righ. an domhain duinn, 'n a mharcach air talmhainn triiime, 

Gur e an talamh a ta an diugh, 'n a mharcach air a mhunsan. 

A dubhairt an treas ughdair glic, bhi am bith an d^ aig Mac Philip, 

An diugh aige nocha 'n 'eil, ach seachd troidh dhe 'n talmhainn. 

Alastair muirneach mbr, Alastair thasgadh airgiod 'us or, 

An diugh ars' an ceathramh fear, a ta an t-hv 'g a thasgadhsa. 

Mac Philip a phailm os chrannaibh, an r6 os na reultanaibh, 

An t-br os na seudaibh slkn, am mial mor os na bradanaibh. 

An leoghan os chairbhe gun bhlagh, am fireun os na h'eunlaith, 

Sliabh Shioin os gach sliabh slkn, os gach sruth sruth lordain. 

An leug liomharra os na clachaibh, a mhuir os na minshruthaibh, 

Sonmharach am fear gun on, aon fhear os fearaibh talmhainn. 

Aon fhear os fearaibh talmhainn ach }"igh neimh is neo thalmhaidh, 

Righ tinne nan trend 's nan tore, ceann nan ceud 's nan garaidh. 

Cbmhradh nan ughdair a b 'fhior, air teachd air h-uaigh an airdrigli, 

M cosmhuil ri baothghloir bhan, a r chansadar an ceathrar. 

CeatTirar. 



Is e uglidair so Eoin Mac Mhuirich. 

Fir Albain 'us ni iad a mhkin, mar marrainn Mac G-rigoir, 
Cia lion do chorruich a chosgair, maise uile air Alastair, 



Fionnladh am bard ruadh is e thubliairt so. 

Gaidhealach gach sith dhe 'n each odhar, gaidheal do bhitheas ise, 

Fa h-i a bhuadhaicheas 's a chosnadh, gach ni a luaidheas mise, 

Urram a luaithe dh' a cosaibh, gu ruathar a bhris. 

Nodasach neimhneach a treise, 's a chill ge soitheamh, 

Na h-eoin siad do chathadh ri aghaidh a ruith. 

Ni breug tuairisgeul an eich sin, steud luailteach gasd, 

An Dubh-seimhlin is ritlie is cosmhuil, na aidhre an Lamacha. 

Co ionraic am meud 's an cosnadh, ni f huair iad r'a 'r n-eachne. 

Mar bhi caochladh gaoithe de chnocaibh, ruith 'n a sith an t-each so. 

Mbr ceud le'r annsa a siubhal, theid mar amhas seachaibh, 

Each a ni searrdha ri saighid, a gniomhara is grannta, 



86 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



Leggis bann dossli a reith sin roythwr ma raitliis 

Ga fad in neachle rompyth ner anneitli ym merkytli 

Ga beg a woUich in neaclisin a commis re altew 

Coy zess a boy sa sowil in groyth syn laytliith 

Eggill in neych er gi donyth tegwe in gress chath 

Ym weacht ym weayin in gomisk is each bray in teach sin 

Grainyth er a vor each gi vasgill in genn cbor wratty 

Ver in stoyg iiUingyth bogrytli urrwme sloyg za in merkych 

Hed one chorri di weith er hossi in mor each meine masklych 

Berre boye reith agis choskir ga teith in nor eskir 

Gow hassge oorchrissi wUew mor crith er faiche 

Gow beithga cronni layvin crowich meine drumelayn dattyth 

Each fa horriskail an neichsui di cholyth ma agga 

Ca royve sessi reyve fa chommis ne vestyth in layth macha 

M'gregor kennord in neichsin trane na zlan phort philli 

Tigfeit one vanve gai wollith in nalbin ga hirri 

Fer churris argnyth er zallew is arbsi ra zyllyth. 



Finlay royg in bard. 

Fad id tam gin woyg awghall doyth is meicht 
Hanith teim hawyth as in ner zleicht 
Is say connir a hayvin darre slat wir 
Gow flath rane ni gay will fer nar ayr Iwth swill 
Gow m'gregar denyth is kenn din nyth skoUew 
Na bea neweine fallew dleeir zom a wollith 
Gow fer is trane coorri in dossyth gith sawre 
Ni in sawth za wee be a nawch gith hawle 
jSTer heyrissaid ummyth gregorre na gadew 
Bayh a chail ym vogryth gra traa ossni tradow 
Gone is kenn din traitsen ri hoor creach a zawell 
Heyris feynyth cooyll bail re bail syth chawar 
Nor a chee tylych armezar v'gregar ym ballicht 
Slee veine na chorrych ne berri rew in nalicht 
Noor chinnidir a choyrk ga zerim in greith nawit 
Is riss fene di heiwic in rycht gail is wrawit 
Di waissew v'cregar toor chaach er a chowlaw 
Gin dyill re denew is gith meyr na zownych 
Nor zagwm mi woyg ym ess er lar trot 
Me ginsith mi wwk sai is milsith la mydda 
Ga zolk in locha wir mi zeillonis insith 
Gin claa lani ni longsiih say er lay caith is milsyth 



I 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 87 

Leigeas bann d'uailsibh a ruith, 's an ruatliar mar rachas, 

Ge fad an eachlaidh roimpe, nior aineimh a marcach, 

Ge beag a mholadh an t-each sin, a coimeas ri ealtaibh. 

Co dheas a buaidh 's a siublial, an cruaidh 's an Ikthaich, 

Eagal an eich air gach duine, tigeadh an greas catha. 

Am feachd, am fiadhain, an coimeasg, is each breagh an t-each sin, 

Greann air a mhor each sin, 'ga mhasguill an ceann chorr bhrataich. 

Bheir an stuagh f hulaingeach thograch, urram shiaigh dh'a marcach, 

Theid 'n choire do bhi air thoiseach, am mor each min masgalach. 

Beiridh luaidh ruith 'ns chosgair, ge ta an uair f heasgair, 

Gu thaisgeadh or-chrios ullamh, mor clirith air faiche. 

Gu biodhgath, eminn, leamhainn, crodhach, min, druim leathan, daite, 

Each fa thuairisgeul an eich sin, do chuala mi aca, 

Cia robh seis riamh fa choimeas, ni bheisd an Lamacha. 

Mac Grigoir ceannard an eich sin, treun a ghlain phort filidh, 

Tigead 'n Bhanbha 'g a mholadh, an Albain 'g a shireadh. 

Fear chuireas airgneadh air Ghallaibh, 'us earbsadh ri 'Ghaidhealaibh. 



Fionnladh ruadh am bard. 

Fad a taim gun bhuaidh, 'fhaigheal domh is mithich, 

Thainig time thkmhach, as an aoradh dhligheach, 

Is e conair a theighinn, d' iarraidh slait mhir, 

Gu flath treun nan Gaidheal, far nar fhaighear luchd suaill. 

Gu Mac Grigoir dion, is ceann air na sgoilibh, 

Ni bhi neomhin falamh, dlighear dhomh a mholadh, 

Gu fear is treun cbir, an toiseach gach samhradh, 

Ni an samhach dha bhi, bithidh an amhaich gach h-amhuil, 

'jN" uair theireas iad uime, Grigoir nan ceuda, 

Bithidh a chail am fogradh, gu tr^th os na treudaibh, 

Eoin is ceann do 'n trend sin, righ f huair creach a ghabhail, 

Theireas fdin ceol, beul ri beul 's a chamhar. 

'N uair a chi teaghlach armgheur, Mhic Grigoir am Bealach, 

Slighe mhin 'n a choire, ni b'eire riu an eallach. 

'N uair chinneadar a chomhrag 'g a ghairm an cridhe namhaid. 

Is ris fdin do theigheadh, an riochd goile 'us bhrkghaid. 

De mhaisibh Mhic Grigoir, tothair chath r' a chulthaobh, 

Gun diol ri daoinibh, 'us gach meodhar 'n a dhiina, 

'N uair dh' fhkgam mo bhuaidh, am dis air Ikr trod, 

Mi ag innseadh mo mhiic 's e is millse le 'm oide. 

Ge h-olc an loch mhir mo dheileanas innseadh, 

Gon cliath Ikn loingsich 's e air la cath is millse. 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Cwne gym beym roytliit v'gregar gin naga 
Re yig gi troti a dail sayd fadda fadda 
AUissaid ossill ympeicli my weadda 
A wen ni geyve bogga ga wanni a clar fadda. 

Fadda. 



A houdir soo dunclia m'cliallin in riddiri math. 

Kay din phleydda is ken oe o zi testa in dey zwni 

Ta na deprri er ess in ir in phleydda gin tror ra fagsin 

Ta na dehcht ga zolk hnn in pleyd er naik zi lochlyn 

Is bayd sin er layr gith hss in pleyd er essew oliss 

Ma best ne choil mee layt lochlin er lay 

chrowich dea ni denith is cowe ee ear genyth 

E gin wayr gin ayr in pleydd vocht er anffeine 

Er nayk v'wretne vind a cretsin creyd nach keinfinn 

Noch cho nel dwn er doythin do ne in pleyd a voerythchiu 

Er naik lochlin is layff hnn oik in skailsen in nerrin 

Ka zearis sporran e vegga ka zearis no snaydda 

Ka zearis droch woynu gin dalf o testa loehlin layf herf 

Ka zearis broik dowe ka zearis ni bowklin 

Ka zearis breydda b^a^Tyd ka er kenn pleyd is fannayda 

Ka zearis essit da Y\Toiga ka zearis skayth feichok 

Ka zearis ey za chriss ka neith leaf gi iuhss 

Ka zearis sen adda peillith ka zearis lowr leyin 

Ka zearis deitta gow mowch ka er ym beith eyttow armycht 

Ka zearis botin is spnr ka zearis froygin aithchur 

Ka zearis meskan is men ka zearis schesgane schoggill 

Ka zearis spayn in sporrane ka in neith sollar gin nayr 

hest lochlin leywych ka ness ir neyvdr zayr 

Ka zearis leynte ban oyga er ess lochlin na senvroigga 

Da eaksen is troyg in dail ka la nerrir in coarane 

Ka zoyddis doss a zillith ka nach abir ferrine 

Ka is leaf tryle a baada ka zearis no sencharda 

Ka zearis cark le hoeow ka zearis leim keilwoe 

Ka zearis corlycht in kerk in dey in dorlycht argit 

Ka zearis prenyth gin chenn ka is fer layfin gomis cotchinn 

Gin iyr er lochlin da ess doUi na eak re fassness 

Ka zearis do wane is droif ka zearis dorssi dosklyth 

Ka zearis binit gin wreith ka lay sirrir gith inneith 

Ka nach doyr peyn di vocht ka zearis neith er ternocht 

Ka zreisses gi groy oyd cheich ka weiss gi- croy um v 'neith 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 89 

Ciiimhnich gun bitheam romhad, Mhic Grigoir gun agadh, 
Ri aghaidh gach trod an dail siad fada, fada. 
Ealasaid uasail iompaich mo mheuda, 
A bhean nan ciabh boga, dh' am buin an clkr fada. 

Fada. 



Is e ughdair so Duncliadli Mac Chailein, an Eidir maitli. 

Co de 'n bhleid is ceann uidh, do theasdadh an deagh dhuine, 

Tha na debir air ds an f hir, a bhleid gun treoir ri f hkgsainn. 

Tha 'n a dileaclid gu h-olc leinn, a bhleid air eugadh do Lachlainn, 

'Us beud sin air Ikr gacli lios, a bhleid air easbliuidli eblais. 

Ma theasd ni chuala mi, leitliid Laclilainn air leth, 

chrutliaich Dia na daoine, is cumha e air cinneadh, 

E gun mlikthair, gun athair, a blileid bliochd air anmliuinn, 

Air n-eug Mhic Bhreatnaidh bhinn, a chreuchdsan creud nach caoiniun. 

Nocha-n 'eil duine air domhain, do ni a bhleid a mhuirichinn, 

Air n-eug Lachlainn is leughadh leinn, olc an sgeul sin an Eirinn. 

Co dh' iarras sporan bheag, co dh' iarras no sn^thad 1 

Co dh' iarras droch bhonn gun dealbh, theasd Lachlainn laimh sheirbh 'i 

Co dh' iarras brbg dhubh, co dh' iarras na bucailean 1 

Co dh' iarras br^id brkgbaid, co air ceann bleid is fan aide 1 

Co dh' iarras asaichte de bliroig, co dh' iarras sgiath pheacoic ? 

Co dh' iarras aedh dh' a chrios, co ni leibh gach ainleas ? 

Co dh' iarras seann ada peillidh, co dh' iarras leabhar leighin ? 

Co dh' iarras diota gu moch, coair am bith eideadh armach ? 

Co dh' iarras botan 'us spuir, co dh' iarras fraoghan aithghearr 1 

Co dh' iarras measgan 'us inin, co dh' iarras seasgan seogaill ? 

Co dh' iarras spain an sporran, co a ni solar gun naire "? 

theasd Lachlainn laochach, co nis ar n-aobhar ghaire '? 

Co dh' iarras leinnte bhan bga, air 6is Lachlainn na seanbhroige 1 

Da eugsan is truagh an dkil, co le 'n iarrar an cuaran 1 

Co ghoideas dos a ghille, co nach abair firinn '? 

Co is leimh triall am bata, co dh' iarras na seana chairde 1 

Co dh' iarras cearc le h-uibhibh co dh' iarras linn choileach 1 

Co dh' iarras corlach na circe, an deigh an dorlach airgid 1 

Co dh' iarras prin gun cheann co is fear leughainn coimeas coitchinn 1 

Gun oighre air Lachlainn da dis, duilich a eug r' a f haistneachd. 

Co dh' iarras dubhan 'us droimh, co dh' iarras dorsa d'fhosgladh 1 

Co dh' iarras binnid gun bhruidh, co le 'n sirear gach aon ni ? 

Co nach toir peighinn do bhochd, co dh' iaxras ni air tarnochd ? 

Co ghreasas gucruaidh oide ciche, co bhitheas gu cruaidhum mhacnuaidh 1 



90 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Ka zearis ollin is ymmi chon a hee dess loclilin 
Ka zearis coUaryth banni ka lay mayne soUor sayllych 
Ka zearis er mnaew oyga con vega agis nessoga 
Ka zearis furssin oyd keick ka la in dmssir gi marve neith 
Ka zearis loist go wroit ka zearis truis tolwoclit 
Ka weiss gi tein is ay slayn ka zearis ymmi er vrochane 
Dekrycli Iwn no eak in ir gin a iyr za essin 
Deggil na pleyda zwU deyga issnach feadis ka neith coyvoyt 
Ne zwme nine in ir danew a zenyth in doythin 
Eann gitli nacli a chur na kann mallach din ner nach currin 
Ma hest lachlin lay Ion is swycli a weiss gi downith 
Da eak is bocith gi beith is ne cooyth gr eincheith. 

Ka din. 



Gormlay neyn lyne in ven watht. 

Ochegane myth zallir feyn ocliegane mi skarre reimi skaywe 
In nocht is delis mo ladda o nach merrin m'eneall 
Ochegane gin vak derwaill ocliegane mo zail da ess 
Noch char waill gayr naiss boylli fass erri zae essew 
Ochegane re banich math gwss in nocht ner zani di chr . . 
Testoo vanmyn ess echaith ne abbrum ach och is oych. 

Oche. 



A lioudir so dunclia m'caybba. 

A vec dowle toyr accane di loyt leich in lanvakcane 
Hay mi zarve accane fer mon zalwe waccane wor wreith 
Is ferri hik di chensi chew we riss na zoyss a vackeyve 
Duncha carrych ga zerm zea is anm zoo a barryth boe 
A dhuncha ni gor gassge cwneich anm do cheadwesti 
A v'allen na twUe feyn tayweym noch char hoor allein 
Wo tay schee in neiss in nenyth na hell yvyr ard wlyith 
Gawe in cayd hoyr twss na ross woss tow eaddoill gi hawis 
Davin gir a tow reiss fer zaywal ni gerve cheiss 
Mir harve trodda agis tachir is darwe di hoggir a gayach 
Is tow tastalych croychane i schelga sley fin vroychane 
Di clow onchon ga inche is tow duncha durrinssi 
Is tow chaskgeiss di nawe is to zergis di zallawe 
Is tow zoiris vor skeiths sin is tow reiss doywnis aggin 
Is sea fer da bi zussi a rinn di leyt camussi 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOKE. 91 

Co clh' iarras oluinn 'us im, thun a thi d' ^is Lachlainn 1 
Co dh' iarras colaireach bhan, co le 'm miann solar salach 1 
Co dh' iarras air mnatliaibh oga, con blieaga 'us neasagaibh 1 
Co dh' iarras fursainn oide ciche, co le 'n trusar gach marbh ni 1 
Co dh' iarras loisgt gu bhroit, co dh' iarras truis tolbhochd ! 
Co bhitheas gu tinn 'us e slan, co dh' iarras im air a bhrochan ? 
Deacaire dhomh no eug, an fhir gun oighre bhi dha disean, 
D'eagal na bleid dhol eug, 'us nach faighideas co ni a coimhead. 
ISTa dichuimhnichibh am fear, deanaibh, a dhaoine an domhain, 
Rann gach neach a chur 'n a ceann mallachd do 'n fhear nach curainn, 
Ma theasd Lachlainn a la luain, is subhach a bhitheas gach duine, 
Da eug is bochda gu bith, 'us ni cumhar aon a chi. 

Co de 'n bhleid. 



Gormlaidh nighean Fhlainn, a bliean mliaith. 

Ochagan mo ghalar fdin, ochagan mo sgaradh ri' m sgdimh, 
An nochd is dilis mo shlad, nach marrainn Mac O'lSTdill, 
Ochagan gun Mhac Diarbhaill, ochagan mo dhkil da dis, 
Nochar fhdile Guaire an ks, buaile fks Eire da easbhuidh, 
Ochagan righ Bhanbha maith, gus an nochd nior ghann do chruth, 
theasdadh m'anam 's a chath, ni abram ach och, agus och. 

Och. 



Is e uglidair so Duncliadli Mac Caibe. 

A Mhic Dhughail a d'lir achdmhuinn, do luath laoch a chlannmhacan, 

Tha mo dliearbhachdainn fior mu 'n dhealbh mhacan mhoir bhrigh, 

Is fearr thig do cheannsa chaomh, bhi ris na dhomhsa a mhacaimh, 

Dunchadh carrach 'g a ghairm da, is ainm dha a b'fhearr buaidh. 

A Dhunchaidh nan corr gaisge, cuimhnich ainm do cheud bhaisde, 

A Mhic Allain na toill Mn, toibheum noch char f huair an linn, 

ta se nis an aithne na h-uile aobhar ard bhlagh, 

Gu bhi an ceud fhuair tiis an arois, 's tu eudail gu thathas. 

Deimhin gur a tu ris, fear ghabhail nan garbh chis, 

Mar tharbh trod agus tkchair, is dearbh do thogar an cathach. 

Is tu tasdaileach Chruachain, a sealg sleidh fo' bruachan, 

Do chliu onchoin 'g a innseadh, is tu Dunchadh Diurinnse. 

Is tu choisgeas do namh, is tu dheargas do dha lamh. 

Is tu dh' fhoireas o'r sgios sinn, is tu ris d'aoibhneas againn. 

Is se fear do 'm b' usa, a rinn do luaidh cho musa, 



92 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Di neym eddir leich mir sIr din dreggin cheive von clionnil 
Is tayd agga di woeir kerd eili na cojdlifir 
Gasga agis ennych errin gin nasga nyn lowveymuie 
Gith inlyclit zleis mak reicli id tayd ag gin neyneyve 
A zloyr zall zlan riss ga rec lor di zarri in dy wee 
A clieim gi wul a terri keiss lat ass gi in^valli 
Rygh orriclit ag gneith zlyn id tyiclit ym clireif cliosgir. 

A vec. 



Auctor liujus Ane m'eoin m'caycliirn. 

Daarych schayn er seil gwnn ne liaarych in nochin 

In dye oyne deive a zol seith no zoye nocli clia dantir 

In sayn fa rowidir reyv finnich chwnn ner cMeacht dewygli 

In dey oyne gi arr er gowle da zoye ner an gin ympow 

Da waass di reyggi in ter m'ir noyine wo alien 

Mor ir schayn er gowl di chorri ner layn downj^tli na gi dear 

In corsen lar olkytli ziun bass oyne is troyg in torrinym 

Hanik braatli o zwnn din cliorri fa cliung chaach di quhyddir 

Seil qulioUych zoyss gow liayk oyne nar er adir gi introyr 

Faggis layn da heil wo henni in sayn ne in deive a zaith 

Owr mrone a beith mir sen clynn dowle di zeith in ir 

Quhy barni nin sayn re scbell sarwe in skail ri skeillych 

A liecliticli hug in skail huggin a zea di zroich zaal 

Ni skailla di lawrit leive mawrit ner chayl in giwssin 

Seir zail mi zar tree clawlt di von deim ryn hio ryirk 

In dey oyne ne anvin a zulli cha naym doyr ra danew 

Tnrri er in nane sin noe bass v'dowU downolle 

Anna zye fa chrow chwnn ner zelli enow ra croonith 

Sein vorba brissi no weig menich choyn ga cheynich 

Er arda in trachta er ayk oyne ner ayd altaa won nayr 

Loygh er evynis nocli cha nail in dye ayne ymzane 

E"i sloygth ga braa di wroon gin loyght er cryich na er cor 

Id tier riss in raythid cayth id teacht wo toye gi intraa 

Lay turre an nocchin nwU did chewe a var benchir 

In neik monnor od tolt bog log aggwm na ymiit 

Bei er hert fa zerryth doyf skaywolych mo zerk a zowe 

Ne eddit mnae doUi zith woo toye la trwm in tursi 

Toggew fert din wanyth wan layd lake cheille croychin 

Gar gir annychi orch di waas a laa laytromm 

Finich did cowe ga in gar dowe in ere ni codly 

A chlyne dowle gow ayk oyne ne zaynith nach fir naw zoye 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 93 

Do iiitheam eadar laoich mar sin, do 'n dreagon cliaomh o'n Chonuil, 
A taid aige de bhuaidh air, ceaird eile na diuilbhr. 
Gaisge agus eincach Eirinn, ga '11 nasgadli 'n a luath blieuman, 
Gach innleachd ghleidheas mac Righ, a ta iad aig gun aineimh. 
A gliloir gheal ghlan ris 'g a reic, le 'r do diricli an deagh mhac. 
cMtheam gu bheil a toirt cis, leat as gach aon bliaile, 
Righ aireach aig gniomh ghrinn, a teachd um chraoibh chosgair. 

A mhic. 



Is e iighdair so, Eoin Mac Eoghain Mhic Eachairn. 

Deiirach sian air siol Chuinn, ni eireach an dochainn, 

In deigh Eoin doibh a dhol, sith 'n a uaigh noch cha deantar. 

An sian fa robhadar riamh, fine Chuinn nior chleachd dimhiodh, 

In deigh Eoin gach fear air gul, da uaigh nior ann gun iompaidh. 

Da 'bhks do thruagh an tir, Mac f hir a ghin Allan. 

Mbr ar sian air gul do chor, nior lion duine nach gu deurach. 

An cor sin le'r olc dhuinn, bks Eoin is truagh an torunn. 

Thainig brath Dhim do 'n chor, fa chuing chkch do chaidhidear, 

Saoghal caochlaideach dhomhsa gu h-eug Eoin, nior eireadar gu aintrebir. 

Eagas Ikn do shiol shean, an sian na an doibh. a dhochainn, 

Aobhar 'm broin a bhi mar sin, clann Dughail do dhith an fhir. 

Chaidh barn nan sian r^ seal, searbh an sgeul ri sgeulachadh, 

A theachdair a thug an sgeul, thugain a Dhd do dhroch dhkil. 

Na sgeul do labhairt leibh, m'amhra nior chaill an cluasan, 

Saordhail mo gheire troimh chldibh uile, do bhuin diom roinn mo f hradarc. 

An deigh Eoin ni anmhuinn a ghul, cha-n fhaigheam deoir ri dheanamh, 

Tuireadh air an Fhian 's an uaigh, bks Mhic Dhughaill DhunoUaimh. 

Ann a aghaidh fa chruth Chuinn, nior ghile cno ri cruinne, 

'S aon bhorb bhriseadh no bhith, mein a chuain 'ga chaoineadh. 

Air ard an traigh air eug Eoin, nior f haighead alt o'n athair, 

Luaidh air aoibhneas noch cha-n 'aill, 'n deigh Eoin iomghain. 

Na sloigh 'g am breith de bhrbn, gun luaidh air creach no air cor, 

A deir ris an rath ad caidh, a teachd d' uaigh gus an traigh, 

Le tuireadh an dochainn null, do'd chumhadh a b'fhear banchaire. 

An tig m'onoir o'd fholt bog, lochd agam 'n a ionad, 

Bhi air 'fheart fa dheurach domh, sgiamhalach mo dhearc a ghabh. 

Ni f haotaid mnathan dol dhl, d' uaigh le truime an tuirse, 

Togaibh feart do 'n Fhian bhkn, lend laga chille Chruachain. 

Gu 'r gur aithnichte e orra, do bhks a leth leatroma, 

Fine do'd chumha go an gkir, dubh an crd ni codalaid, 

A chloinn Dughail gu eug Eoin, ni dheanadh neach fear namli dhoibh, 



94 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Hanik di waass ir ■wllich. sevif nach cbass a chensyth 

Er oye oyne ne annit mnaw a clorta dear ge inlay 

Kelle ban garri tra zoych troit er maye gin varrin 

M henyth zoy turse tlirom in dey oyne di zallitli orrwm 

Nein deig lay nach lane ere in skail far taa ir tursine 

Cwmmi Iwm ca loo sin creid a zantyth za lesk Iwmme 

Da wass nach cha sokkir sinn degkir in gayss ner churrinn 

Ym hessew tha melgwn er gin lay er ley e zaffere 

Hug ere Iwm na za laa sinn a lae er olwych 

Cha darne reyve roye sen doy zein gow dowle e zafFre 

Is yvir broyn gin ay ann is doy mee o nach merrin 

Dess a chollyth nyth goyth noyr mir hay in ter troyg in tyrmmor 

Tra er durri noch cha nil syi in dwn sin dowche 

Lane marr techt har tulchew er naik oyne is da choythrrow 

Oanych er in narga ne ull er ard choyn fa gonvell 

Di chow owch reith raach chwnn si creich so clynni dowle 

Blaa gal id zey er dowch bee ra heyg gin achroyeh 

Eiss chwill ym clae zoT\ill a egsi si oUonych 

■Lookir er teacht er oye oyne echtir waeth da nanoyn 

Fadda in neyntoo neilla di chaith ga cwss tayweym 

Nach spess deiv in noye zollyth dess oyne in neyntoo 

Terk a hiu'ri acmay chwnn wone lay nach mar m'dowUe 

Breith in neyil noch cha null screive eyl na nessow 

Onnor in nejl ne wae er testall di v'marae 

Is beg a bail dawel deit di raye a honnor vayach 

Na gi dacha drwm er zrwm voym za chenn clynni dowl 

Ee troyr ooyne ne zyil doyth in dyie oyne aythir 

Gi lyi dea di zalwa neyf doyr in gligge in noid illeich 

Voo eachree noch cha woyn baach za deache waach is ymza 

In dey in trur troyg in tolk mi chre ne for furtycht 

Troyg na noyge gi chass di cheim di wass ii oyne is all . . 

Allex^ nach gavin gess in tra man deggir herris 

Toycht er stoyg woynych bryi di royl oych mi nenin 

Ni belt ga earre er dul dyr oyne gow hirrill 

A beit er ter ni trodda ne beith naec fa noo adda. 



Auctor liujiis finlay m'yiiiiab. 

Doynirre nyn strakkirre da bi zail leif a screy^^e 
Foyris din ni faggirre ne za weadir a leinyth 
Ga zemmi ni ha deinnyth er teith milli ni toyth 
Cha nayir na chomein in reid sin doyn boach 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF. LTSMORE. 95 

Thainig do bhks fliir mhullaich seimli, noch chas a cheannsacliaidh. 

Air uaigh Eoin ni ainnidh mnathan, a dortadh dheur gach aon la, 

Call bhan ag eiridh trkth dhoibli, troidli air mhagh gun bharran. 

Ni h-ioghnadh dhoibh tuirse throm, an deigb Eoin do gheal urram, 

M 'n tig la nacb. lion cridhe, an sgeiil fa ta ar tuirsene. 

Coma learn ge leo sin, creud a dheanadh do leisg learn, 

D'a bhks nocba socair sinn, deacair an cks 'na 'r chuireann. 

A'm sheasamh tha melgthamb air, gun luaidh air laoidh a ghabhar. 

Thug cridhe dhomh 'n a dha leth, sinn a luaidh air fhalbhaich. 

Cha d'rinneadh riamh roimh sin, doighe dhuinn dhol d'a f harraid, 

Is aobhar brbin gun e ann, is doighe mi nach marrainn. 

D'Ms e chodladh na uaigh fhuair, mar tha an tir, truagh an toirm, 

Traigheadh air deoir noch cha-n eil, saoth an Diiin 's an duthaich. 

Lkn mara 'teachd thar tulchaibh, air n-eug Eoin 's da choghairibh, 

Onf hadh air an f hairg ni bheil, air ard chuan fa Chonnuill. 

Do chumha och ! righ rathaich Chuinn, 's a chrioch so chloinn Dughaill, 

Blath gal a'd dheigh air diithaich, bithidh ri h-digh gon eugchruas. 

Aois chiuil um cliath Dhughaill, a eigse 's a oUamhan ; 

Leachd air teachd air uaigh Eoin, eachdair a bhi de 'n aindeoin. 

Ead an iontadh Neill, do chaidh gach cuis toibheim, 

Nach spdis doibh an uaigh, dhol d'dis Eoin an iontadh. 

Teirc a fhuaireadh aicme Chuinn, o'n la nach mair Mac Dhughaill, 

Brigh an fhiodhuill nocha n-'eil, scriobhadh fhilidh 'n a easbhuidh. 

Onoir an fhileadh ni bhi, air teasdail do Mhac Mairidh, 

Is beag am beul daimheil d'i, do radh a h-onoir bhuadhach. 

Na gun deachaidh druim air dhruim, uam dha cheann chloinn Dughaill, 

Ri treoir Eoin ni fhaghail domh, an deigh Eoin 'athair. 

Gu gleidheadh Dia do dhealbh niamh, do fhuair innleachd an oide Ilich, 

eachraidh nocha bhitheann buaidh, dha deachaidh uath 'us imeachd. 

An deigh an triur truagh an t-olc, mo chridhe ni fhuair furtachd, 

Truagh nan oige go ch^s do chitheam, de bhks da Eoin 'us Alastair. 

Alastair nach gabhann geis an trath mu 'n tigear thairis, 

D'uchd air stuagh bhuaine brigh do thruaill och ! mo nimhe. 

Ni bhith 'g a iarraidh air dul d' oighre Eoin gu iorghuil, 

A bhith air tir na troda, ni bhith nach fa'n uaigh fhada. 



Is e uglidair so Fionnladli Mac an Aba. 

Duanair nan strangair, da b'aill leibh a sgriobhadh, 
Fhuaireas de na fkgair, ni dhe faodar a lionadh. 
Ge iomadh na tha daoine air ti millidh nan tuath, 
Cha-n fhaighear 'n a choman an rud 's an duan buadhach. 



96 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Di wassew nin lorganych gan gir beith voacli ach meile 

In teigh gow be in goyalsi cbo rik eayd ay gi heythe 

A ta ossil anossil agki na cliotti killi 

Is ta wessew wea ray ayskey ga zeyg cha clilwni sinni 

Quho we me ga slonissy clia null aggwmm za schencbas 

Acb a be si choneskar agis no kon na lenvyn 

A zowle a cbompayne v'oyne nyn lann leyve 

Ga will wile ni lorganych clane in doynirre screyve 

Screyve gi fessyth fer oylych in scliancbis is a gaer 

Na ber doyni er weith heillyth ga leyve go m'challan 

Cwne feyn in comyn so a zregar mir a clioyle 

Gi will aggwn orridsi di cbwt a cliur sin doynirre 

Na bee ansin doyn so di liaggirt na zi hoyctyth 

Ga vil ne na coythrsi nach currir ay sin doynirre. 

Doynirre. 



A hujus Effric neyn corgitill. 

A fadrin a zusk mi zair invin mar a weith ort 

Inviu cree faltyth faill gane royf reyve guss a nocht 

Da eag is tursycb a tarn in lawe may bittee gi noyr 

Nach clunnwm a bee in glee agis nach vaggum ee woyme 

Mi creisi is tinn id taa o teic creich in lay zowin 

Zerrid a zest ra zlor ra haggillow in noge wr 

Bail ayssith di beive glor zaynti zoo si gi ter 

Loyvin mwlle ni mour gall sawik eillith ni myg meine 

Far bi zar moyvir er zane o nach deach day^e gin deill 

Toissych dyghanich sork shawe ag a wayt mane v'reyth 

Dawe a teach o zown noyr is dawe one voyn ga olt fay 

Menik hanik ead fa best ne menkyth na less in rar 

Saywik schanglane sleyve geill far a chur a kenn re clar 

Dreggin loyvis nin lerg gal ayg ag sannis nin schrawe sayth 

A haguss ein donnyth wane amenir a tame za ess 

Gin chlwich gin chorran kein gin awych gin yghe i geUl 

Gin dwnni ris tig mi wane er sleicht nin neaall o neal oog 

Gin wurn gi weyr ag mnawe gin evinis in dane ym zoog 

Mar hay geyaw in nwne wein down swenyth di chonne gin choill 

Fayth longwrt ni war fayl aychwall ni neall in nawle 

Cus ir loythirryth mane seach gwss a bemid a teach mawle 

Is nach fulgwm in ness mi nor aggin woyme er gi ard 

Ma wrissis a v'awee er baggit nin tre chnoo 

Fa fer a zawis ir geyle di vonis in trane bi woo 



I 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 97 

De fhiosaibh nan lorganach gun gur bu bhuadliach ach mile, 
An tigh gu bith an comhdhailse, clia ruig iad e go sliith, 
A ta uasal, anuasal age 'n a chota cille, 
'Us ta 'fhiosa bbi y4 acasa ge dh'eadh cha chluinn sinne, 
Cha bhi mi 'g an sloinneadhsa, cha-n 'eil agam de sliea,nclias, 
Ach a bhi 's a choinfheasgair, agus na con 'n an leanmhuinn. 
A Dhughaill, a chompain, Mhic Eoin nan lann liobhta, 
Ga bheil uile na lorganaich, dean an duanaire a sgriobhadh. 
Sgriobh gu fiosach fior eolach, an seanchas 'us an gartha, 
Na beir duan air bhith shaoghalach 'g a leughadh gu Mac Chailein. 
Cuimhnich Mn an comunn so, a Ghrigoir mar a chuala, 
Gu bheil agam ortasa do chuid a chur 's an duanair. 
Na bitheadh anns an duan so de shagairt no de thuathach, 
'G a bheil ni 'n an comhairse nach cuirear e 's an duanair. 

Duanair. 



Uglidair so Eafraic nic Corcadail. 

A phaidrein a dhuisg mo ghkir, ionmhuinn mar a bhi ort, 

lonmhuinn cridhe failteach fial, ga 'n robh riamh gus an nochd, 

D'a eug is tuirseach a taim, an lamh mu 'm bithte gach uair, 

Nach cluinneam e bhi an cli, agus nach facaim e uam ; 

Mo chridhse is tinn a ta, tig creach an la dhuinn, 

Goirid a dh' disd r'a ghlbir, ri focalaibh an bige uir ; 

Beul aitheasach da 'm bu sheimh glbir, dh' aithnichteadh a ghuth 's 

Leomhan Mhuile nam miir geala, seabhag He nam magh mine ; [gach tir, 

Fear a b'f hearr meodhar air dhaoine, nach deachaidh daimh gun diol, 

Toiseach deagh eanach suairc seimh, aig am faighteadh mbin mhic righ ; 

Daimh a teachd Dhunanoir, 'us daimh o'n Bhoinn g 'a f holt fbidh, 

Minic thainig iad fa theist, ni mince na leis an rdir ; 

Seabhag seanglan Sliabh Ghaidheal, fear a chur a cheann ri cleir, 

Dreagon Leodhais nan learg geal, agh aig sanas nan sreamh seimh ; 

A h-eugmhais aoin duine mhMn, a'm aonar a taim dha dis, 

Gun chluich gun chanran caoin, gun kbhachd gun aoibh aig fe'ill ; 

Gun duine ris an tig mo mhiann, air sliochd nan Nial Nial bg, 

Gun mhuirn gu bhithear aig mnaibh, gun aoibhneas an daoine um ghbig, 

Mar tha gaoithe an iiine mhin, Dun Suibhne do chunnaic gun chebl, 

Feuch longphort nam fear fial, aicheamhail nan Nial a nail. 

Cuis ar luathghara mu seach, gus am bithmid an teach mall, 

'Us no fuilgeam nis, mo nuar, againn uainne air gach aird ; 

Ma bhriseas, a Mhic Adhaimh, air bagaid nan tri chnb, 

Fa fear a ghabhas ar gaoil, do bhuineas an trian bu mhb ; 



q8 the -book of [ancient. 

Knoo wullich a moggill feyn vonith di clyne neill gi noa 
Is trig rynitli nyth ver fail gow labbi ni neal in noyssa 
In rygli fa derrig dewe say hug gin mi wreith in skayll 
Di skar rwm mi la cliwng rown a fadrin zusg mi zar 
Is bristith my cree ym keith agis beith no gin dee mayg 
Er ess in nawryth. zoe wr a pliadrin a zusg my zar 
Mur wayir mumy in reith gin rowf gym zein er gi sayd 
Is i mak a chrowich gi dowle a pliadrin a zusg my zar. 

Fadrin. 



A howdir so Dowgall m'ille zlass. 

Reicht zassge yricht ooyne is astrych za zoyn a zreyve 

Nee naeh illi nawrycht di chayck foyr in ny rych a saycli reycli 

M'gregar ni greissi gar toissick is trane er gi ter 

Eddir hoyr is creack zawle is doe a wee gi mawle meine 

Eine rynn zaske zeyil greygga less nor meitkt mayd clow 

Fer is ferr aygk is eickt in lawa ter slickt in row 

Skawik dayd zall nin dre zlann lass in leygr gaal gi gnew 

Law is croitk in gaaew kinitk flaa is corytk zin tlicht reitli 

Er v'fadrik ni groygk derk nor assis ferg in nor ayckt 

Ni kalyck a ver no deygk nocka slane in loy cayckt 

Oyk vol ckallim nin derk corri ni skarri ra zor gin deitk 

Gilli dawyck sotkryck sang in law is ferri um gick neitk 

Acmick zregar tymckil oyne ne mir caylta in voal si wein 

Drong wrayck er nack leyr lockt is graytk gort mir a kee 

Gianni zregar in dramm nack traytk in namm nack bedis ray ra reitk 

Gyill ga fuUicktyck na fir ne ckurri sckead sin ym bree 

Ne mow loo geyl no gyill ni ser ir oo ckoynn in reitk 

Acmi zregar ni golga croy o work sloye ne in gawe sneyve 

Branane forna ni var faylla yr zregar nyn sckrane oyr 

01k zi dwne er in dane creack messit zi neack keyd na toyr 

Flatk zlinni leivin nin lann skaytk wreour nack gann re clayr 

Law mir oskir si gick catk is da is cosswill in flatk feyn 

Urrwm enickt da zroy zerg a koyr gin ckelg mir is coyr 

Er zaill einenyck zi gick nack er keilUgytk eack is oyr 

M'gregar in tylick zrinn ne kenick linn na ckwrt clayr 

Ne el commis da uckt galle ack in fer ga royve in nane 

Ag sen tri freccytkcki finn braitk a gilli ne vayccit reyve 

Law bi watk irrill in gress di binwin less fuUick feyg 

Cosslow a weine sa woywe riss in reitk ga royve in nane 

Re kawg v'gregar nin greack ver rawg gi nack a wane 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 99 

Cno mhullaich a mhoguil fdin bhuineadh do chloinn N^il gun f huath, 
Is trie a roinn na fir f iala, gu leabaidh nan Mai a nuas ; 
An righ fa deireadh diubh, 's e thug gun mo bhrigh an sgail, 
Do sgar rium mo leth chunga ruin, a pliaidrein a dhuisg mo ghair, 
Is briste mo chridhe a'm chioch 'us bithidh no gun dith m'agh, 
Air dis an amhra dhubh tir, a pliaidrein a dhuisg mo ghkir ; 
Mhuire, mhkthair, muime an righ, gu robh 'gam dhion air gach saighid, 
'Us a mac a chruthaich gach diiile. A phaidrein a dhuisg mo ghkir. 

A phaidrein. 



Is e ughdair so Diighall Mac Gliille ghlais. 

Righ ghaisge eireachd Eoin, is asdaireach do dhuan a dhroiug, 

M nach bheil an amhra do chkch, fhuair an fhioradh an skithe righ. 

Mac Grigoir nan greas geur, toiseach is treine air gach tir, 

Eadar br 'us creach a Ghall, is dbigh a bhi gu mall min ; [chliu, 

Aon roghainn ghaisge Ghaidheil Ghreige, leis nior meathaich meud a 

Fear is fearr agh 'us iochd, an laimh an tir sliochd nan righe. 

Seabhag deud gheal nan tri ghleann, leis an leughar goil gach gniomh, 

Lamh is crodha an cathaibh cinnidh, flath a's cbir dhe 'n t-sliochd righ, 

Air Mac Phadruig nan gruaidh dearg, 'n uair athf hasas fearg an uair 

Na h-alaich a bheir 'n a dheigh nocha slkn an luadli cath ; [eachd, 

Ogha Mhaoil Chaluim nan dearc corr, ni sgaradh ri br gun dith, 

Gille daimheach, sothrach, seang, an lamh a 's fearr um gach ni ; 

Aicme Ghrigoir timchioll Eoin, ni mar chaillte a bhuille s'a mhMn, 

Droing bhreagh air nach leughar Iochd, is gnath gort mar a thi ; 

Clann Ghrigoir an dream nach treig, an km nach bitheas r^idh ri righ, 

Gaidheil ge fulachdach na fir, ni chuireadh siad sin am bf gh ; 

M mo leo Gaidheil no Goill, na saoir f hir chuain an righ ; 

Aicme Ghrigoir nan colg cruaidh, o bhorb shluagh ni'n gabh sniomh. 

Brainean foirne nam fear fiala, oighre Ghrigoir nan srian br, 

01c do dhuine air an dean creach, miosad do neach theid 'nan toir ; 

Flath Ghlinne Liobhainn nan lann, sgiath bhrighmhor nach gann ri cldir, 

Lamh mar Osgar anns gach cath, is da is cosmhuil am flath fdin ; 

Urram eanaich d'a ghruaidh dheirg, a fhuair gun cheilg mar is coir, 

Air ghabhail 'einich do gach neach, air thiolacadh each 'us bir ; 

Mac Grigoir an teaghlaich ghrinn, ni h-ioghnadh leinn 'n a chiiirt cliar, 

Ni bheil coimeas d'a uchd geal, ach am fear dhe 'n robh an Fhiann ; 

Aigesan tri freiceadan fionn, braigh a ghille ni facadh riamh, 

Lamh bu mhaith iorghuil an greas, do b'ionmhuinn leis fuileach fiadh ; 

Cosmhuil a mhbin's a mhodh, ris an righ 'g a robh an Fhiann, 

Ri h-agh Mhic Grigoir nan creach, bheir roghadh gach neadi am miann ; 



100 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Math is cowe a rosg gorm re m^cowle uin gorn far 
Innin in noiir fa din aggis in rownyth deil clayr 
Innin in surri sin selga rew is cowe kerd ni wane 
Id ta in rath er sliclit in row is math in clow is a geyl 
Enych is augnow is icht di cayvlyth er in slicht reyve 
Fein is keyr agis milli a mayne sin la shelgow feygh 
Finny th oyne is gast gneyve eadda mir vackow re ni . . . 
Aggis oyne mir in fin faye no chenn er gi dawe a . . . 
Ga zurrik low flayis finn di cathyth ra linn na vane 
Is er v'fadrik id ta in rath haryth schea gi matha ... 
M'gregar nin dochir tann cann sochir kawle agis clayr 
Teyve sang er ym braith ben o zlann shraa ni ver fayle 
Corrit zowne braa la oyne is nee ga zoyn di neith 
A teillygyth each is oyr fayn scheach mir is coir i reith 
Rey neive murr oe dlee mir is doe me zein 
Mi wraa si cathir gin chelt a wuU aythir v'in re. 

Keith. 



Kellich zonith er ossil ga di choye schee re feith 

MaggT mor a ze lonith weith garre zol lar reith 

Estew zeym dar maggarich a lieil boddich is serreith 

Is a leive kennort baggantich less a beith lane vath meithtin 

Fullul me clyne dowle boein is dowell corri 

Ga tayd gi garga gast ne astith zane foynicht 

Coythiltich me m'challane ver oyr gi rath rar clarrew 

Cred fa im bein gi mwcknich ta mi zowch in nerli 

Ta mi zowchess in nearli da ear o me clan donil 

Innoo me clyne a layane wearri ne caith corrik 

M'a ff'eith cholfissay cha bea foryr mi loynti 

Is m'neil a barray glan ossill a chwt slontich 

M'onee tanik fame chwnith agis m'soemth faimyth 

Clyne loyt is clyne rynilt ne kinn ignith von danic 

Cattanich agis toissich ga taid zoissith na gardew 

Camronaich is clyne zregar ni firsen a braid albin 

Stewartich gai farssing eaid skeillit fane chrown chaw . . . 

Sen skail kintich cassloyth is dew id ta senvaithir maithir 

In bofuddir is in braid albin ta mi char din gi lenor 

Fir choyvil a teach ym chonew beaid sin mi loynnith 

Clann lachljm is clyne lymyn clyne nail ri foylwm zasg 

Cardin doissi clyne tawssi er wwn is wrai zlassei 



I 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 



Maith is cumlia a rosg gorm, ri Mac Cumhail nan corn fial, 
lonann an br fa dhuinn, agns an run diolaidh cliar ; 
lonann an sniridh 's an sealg, riu 'us Cu ceaird nam Fiann, 
A ta an rath air sliochd nan righe, is maith an cliti 'us an ciall ; 
Eineach 'us eaiiguath 'us iochd, do cheangladh air an sliochd righ, 
Fion 'us cdir, agus mel, am miann sin le sealga f hiadh ; 
Fine Eoin is gasda gniomh, iad mar mhacaibh righ na Feinn, 
Agus Eoin mar am Fionn fdin, 'n a cheann air gach daimh a . . . ; 
Ge dhtirachd leo flaitheas Feinn, do chathaich ri linn na Feinn, 
Is air Mhac Phadruig a ta an rath, shkruich se gu maith . . . ; 
Mac Grigoir nan dochair a t'ann, ceann sochair ceall 'us cliar, 
Taobh seang air am breith bean, o Ghleannsrath nam fear fial ; 
Comhrad dhuinn breith le Eoin, is ni g'a dhebin do ni, 
A tiodhlacadh each 'us br, fa 'n seach mar is cbir do righ ; 
Kigh neimh, Mhuire oigh, dlighe mar is doigh mo dhion, 
Mo bhreith 's a chaithir gun cheilt, 's a bheil Athair Mhic an Righ. 

Righ. 



Gail dhuine air uasal, ge'd chaidh se ri feibh, 
Magaireadh mbr do dhiolainich, bhi 'g iarraidh dhol Ikr righ ; 
Eisdibh dhomh de 'r magairich, a shil bhodach 'us saoire, 
'Us a liuthad ceannard bagainteach, leis am bu Ian bha m'aoin ; 
Fuileal mi' chlann Dughaill, buidhean is daimheile cbir, 
Ge taid gu garg gasda, ni asda a dheanainn foghainn. 
Comhaltach mi do Mhac Chailein, bheir br gu rdidh ri'r cliaraibh, 
Creud fa am bithinn gu mucnach, ta mo dhuthaich an larlaidh. 
Tha mo dhuchas an larlaidh, do iar uam clann Domhnuil, 
lodhnaidh mi clann Ghilleathain, bheireadh an oath comhrag. 
Mac a Phi Cholosaidh cha bu foirf hear mo shloinnte, 
'Us Mac Neill a Baraidh, glan uasal a chuid sloinnidh, 
Mac a M thainig fa 'm chuimhne, agus Mac Suibhne feudmhach, 
Clann Leoid 'us clann Raghnailt, ni cinn fheadhna o'n d' thainig. 
Catanaich 'us Toisich, gu ta iad dhomhsa 'n an cairdibh, 
Camronaich 'us clann Ghrigoir, na fir sin a Breid Albainn. 
Steuardaich ge farsuing iad, sgaoilte feadh a chruinne cheamach, 
Sean sgeul cinuteach cas luath, is diubh ta seanmhathair m' athair. 
Am Bochuidir 's am Breid Albainn ta mo chairdean gu lionmhor, 
Fir chaomhal 'teachd am choinnidh, b'iad sin mo shloinneadh. 
Clann Lachlain 'us clann Laomainn, clann an kill ri foghlum ghaisge, 
Cairdean domhsa clann Tamhsa, air mhonadh 'us bhraigh glasa ; 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



Na fir veg vaggantich veiss er strath ui ter 
Ty Iwm m'cowle zraggin si carrit doth m'ewr 
Gillane tanik a mwllith ben o choynith Iwngiryraa 
Cha di chortich in crwnith dimnith nach tugi . . , 
A charri dangin delis maa is far re meil dwuyth 
Si chalsi a fwoe in farsen far mor . . . 

Kellich. 



A houdir in barrone ewin m'comie. 

Fadda zawf a loithsoo almirrich Iwmmi my Ian techt 
Wearrin di loayith leyissith woyme da bi Iwnn ni tantith 
Tayn bach colgin caithrow trom tayn bo tart is boo fleyiss 
Di wearrin is in tarrith trom da bi Iwm in loyth leyis 
Gregh is aithre vanynane clayve is corne v'kowle 
Doytdichy man allane wearoin is gath bolk chongwllin 
Oar ewwir is errymone is a wea aggwm im choyrrith 
Crwt curchoyll a chellith brone skayth reith ni gollnor 
Long lymyn nar Iwmmi leith si bee aggwm er giaddi 
Di weariuse a hwUi cheith soil weyme mir so ra fadda 
Fadda Iwm gin Allex'" m'yn tosscheach a hechta 
Foddich schee in gallir so nach beith mir so re fad. 

Fadda. 



3 



Er sleycht geil o zurt greyk ne el piirt er in goe vait 

Gan degow nach berda lat sleych geil di churre harrit 

Stoe erre in nye gawle nach cha doye erre udwalli 

Fyve er claif ranna gath coyr a gaif gi heyf 

Ri gallew a derrum rwe sol zawiddii' ir sowe 

Na lekmit ir dowe deyn danmit ard chogga aumein 

Ax aithris geil vano cathris er ir nayirnee 

Di quhoyl mai gin roj^ sen oyr egin innis incin 

Fa smacht ac finna fowrith rath le bil borowef 

Salla di zallew mir sen a geik keiss as in dowe 

Di zerna er eggil gych kin mor a ta teggow orrine 

Gin danyk low terlynn mor veyn dan math derre 

Ar marro balhr onaet bi sawle zoyn a laet 

Ka ness er ayris in nir a zorfis geil er zallew 

Rer linna mor a rin low tey a kin o angow 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 103 

Na fir bhig bhagantich, bliitheas air srath na tire, 

Taghaileam Mac Dhughaill Chraignis, caraid domh Mac loinhair ; 

Gillean a thainig a Muile bean chuain longfliaire rdidh, 

Cha do cliuartaicli an cruinne, diiine nach tugadh. si breith. 

A charaid daingean dileas, maith is fearr ri Maol Domhnuich, 

'Sa cbkilsa a fhuair am fear sin, fear . . . 

Ckil. 



Is e ughdair so am Baron Eoghan Mac Comaidh. 

Fada dhomh a luidh so, allamharacli learn mo shlainte, 
Bheirinn do luach leighis nam, nam bji leam na tainte ; 
Tain bo colgfhionn ceathraimh trom, tain bo tart 'us bo fleadhais, 
Do bheirinn 'us an tarbh trom, da bu leam an luach leighis. 
Greigh 'us aidhre Mhananain, claidheamh 'us corn Mhic Cumhail, 
Dudaiche Manallain bheirinn, 'us gath-bolg Chonchulain. 
Oir, Eimhear, 'us Eireamoin, 'us e bhi agam a choir, 
Cruit Churcheoil a cheileadh bron, sgiath righ nan GoUnoir. 
Long Laomain nar lorn lith, 'us i bhi agam air cladaich. 
Do bheirinnse a h-uile a chi, sol bhitheam mar so r^ fada. 
Fadda leam gun Alasdair, Mac an Toisich a theachda, 
Dh' f huadach' an galar so, nach bi mar so 16 fada. 

Fada. 



Air sliochd Ghaidheal ghurt Grdig, ni bheil purt air an gabh iad. 

Gun teagamh nach heart leat, sliochd Ghaidheal a chur tharad. 

Is tu an diridh an aghaidh Ghall, no cha doigh ^iridh udmhall. 

Faigheadh ar claidheamh roinn gath, cuiribh na gathan gu thaobh, 

Ri Gallaibh a deirim ribh, sol gheibheadar ar siigh, 

Na leigeamaid ar duthaich dinn, deanamaid ard chogadh anmhin. 

Air aithris Gaidheil Bhanbha, caithris air ar n-athairne. 

Do chualamaid gun robh sin, uaireigin Innis Ainghin, 

Fo smachd aig fine Fomhoraich, rath le bheil boroimhe. 

Seall do Ghallaibh mar sin, ag iochdadh cis as an diithaich, 

Do dhearnadh air eagail gach cinne, mor a ta teagamh oirrnne. 

Gun tainig luth tarlaidhinn, mbr feum do'n mhaith d' diridh, 

Ar marbh balair oinid, bu samhail dhuinn a leithid^ 

Cia nis air aithris an f hir, a dh' f hoireas Gaidheil air Ghallaibh 1 

Ri'r linn mbr a rinn, luchd ti a chinnidh eangaibh. 



104 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Annit doif da bi zail less donna zeaddeith ta aythris 
Low er fey no banno cowe der a bynoUe 
lUespie na zette zar is tow in low fa zerre 
A erle orreir zeil bey id currey a coysmeye 
Cuwrre biirrogirre nor sin ner er zeillew o ziirt zYjth. . . . 
Cur ser herre ardwir ni gyle nach bea er albin achryn 
Chiir low nar log trote lay chlaive gin clien cb . . . 
Er fa smacbt geill greyg ner beitb cleacbt . . . 
Ne fraif o willit a faiss deye ead mor a vorsbass 
Is nacb fagir gawle boe zit tess na gilsytb anna ra liath . . 
Losk a bantrycb nach math man losk in glan vecna anfeinne 
Is losk a dee dow is cosk zein in nangow 
Bog le husk in loch re sen in dei losk zan dassew 
Na dan deo chroy o boa gawle a vo vokinte anviu 
Cwne feyn a zroe rair hoe gyn vill orrin ag gallew 
An smacbt rad linn agus pled nor chinna gawle smath 
Cwnych callen ayr feyn cwneicht gillespik ansen 
Cwnych duncba na nye in far conchur cardnel 
Cwnych callen elly ann cwueich gillespik arrin 
Is callen no keud mor a zle ler zawe gail in za . . * 
Cwne nach dugit ni fyr wle er oyvne di zallew 
Cai mowe fa dugga tussi owla voit in duUesoo 
nach marre ach fwil ayr di zeillew ym zurt ym zaif 
Leggir le cheil na fir is chur hekgil fen er noydean 
Saye er zallew uane draa feynna belt zusk v 'callen 
Derri coggi a olt mhir hor ne math in cotle rath mhor. 

Mor. 



A houdir so dunclia m'dbiiUe voil. 

Aythris raive rown oona makfadrik nar chred callwym 
Na weym ga inni ner anna mane a kinne di charsin 
Terka aythris inni anna zolsew geil nin glan zaale 
Focht ni fraive ga ville zi lucht leava nyn lowr 
Barrol deliss deive is doth fey ard eskar oorcht 
In nulle rygh a goyve choyr in nyr zreve zreggar 
Meith rai rad ross glass est oonna rad henchass 
Rewe zi rave ta mest reygh sayve serhest 
Padrik hayir annit dwt milchoUum ayir phadrik 
Makaynedoe nar zow braye dlwe a churre sa chraddarre 
Gone elle ayr oone doe m'gregar v'oone awyr 
Ca trear farrycht fa feilla trear teawrycht ne throm cler 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 105 

Aitlinichte duibh da b'aill leis, duine a dh' fhaodta aithris, 
Luth air feadh na Banblia, cumha daor a thional, 
Gliillespuig a glieid gheir, is tii an luth fa dh' dreadh, 
A larla Oirthir Ghaidheal bith, a'd churaidh a chosnaidh. 
Curaidh thuirigear 'n uair 's an eur, air Ghaidhealaibh o ghurt Grdige, 
Curaidh saor ardmhir nan Gaidheal, noch bi air Albaiun achruinn, 
Chur Kith 'n ar luchd troda, le claidheamh gun cion chuid, 
Air fath smachd Gaidheil Greige, 'n uair bu chleachdadh . . . 
Na freumha bheil iad a f^s, diogh iad, mbr a bhorrachas, 
'Us nach fkgar Gall beo de d' ^is, na geillse ann ri flaitheas ; 
Loisg am bantraich nach maith m^in, loisg an clannmhacne an sin, 
'Us loisg an tighean dubh, 'us coisg dhuinn an eangnath j 
Bog le h-uisge an laochraidh sin, an deigh losgadh dh'an deisibh, 
Na dean deochruaidh beo Ghall, bhogainte anmhuinn. 
Cuimhnich fdin a ghruaidh mar shiigh, gun bheil oirrne aig Gallaibh, 
An smachd ri'd linn agus pleid, 'n uair chinnich gabhail smachd. 
Cuimhnich Cailean d'athair fdin, cuimhnich Gillespuig 'athair-san, 
Cuimhnich Dunchadh an kigh, am fear conchobhar cairdeal, 
Cuimhnich Cailean eile ann, cuimhnich Gillespuig araon, 
Agus Cailean a cheud mhbr a ghl^ le'r ghabh geill an gh . . . 
Cuimhnich nach tugaid na fir, uladh air uamhainn do Ghallaibh, 
Cia mo fa tugadh tusa, uile uait an t-uladh so. 

nach maireann ach fuidheall athar, do Ghaidheal ghurt um ghabhaidh, 
Leigear le ch^ile na fir, 'us cuir eagail feadh ar naimhdean, 
Saghadh air Ghallaibh nan trkth fdin, bi a'd dhuisg a Mhic Chailein, 
D'eirich cogadh, a f huilt mar br, ni maith an codal ro mhbr. 

Mor. 



Is e ughdair so Dunchadli Mac Dhughaill Mhaoil. 

Aithris fhreumh rtma Eoin Mhic Phadruig, no'r creud cheileam, 

Na bhitheann 'g a f hine nior f hanna, mu'm a chinnidh do char sinn, 

Teirc ri aithris f hine fhanna dh' uailsibh Gaidheal nan glan dhMl, 

Fochd na freumh gu bheil, do luchd leughaidh nan leabhar. 

Barail dileas doibh 'us domh, feadh ard an f heasgair orra, 

An f hull righ an caomh, chur an f hior dhream Ghrigoir ; 

Mi r^idh ri d'kros glas, eisd Eoin ri'd sheanchas, 

Riamh de fhreumh tamaid, righ seimh saor-theist. 

Padruig athair, aithne dhuit, Maolcholuim athair Phadruig, 

Mac Eoin duibh na 'r dhubh brkigh, dligheach a chuire 's a chreadradh, 

Eoin eile athair Eoin duibh, Mhic Grigoir, Mhic Eoin aghmhoir, 

Ta triar feara fa feile, triar teamhaireach mu thromchleir, 



io6 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Ayr in one sen oil nach milchoUum nar cheil onyth 

M'conzlie v'nor veg reym onclionna er nacli deg taweim 

Dunclia el aythir sen m'gillelan orcilli 

Da her lat nor zour re clave m'ey our o urquhay 

Connane ni gorre gawe aythir ey iirqliuay 

alpen in gargven glan ardre nyn balg veym breeor 

Soo cathramh toaris is tug ummit a iyr phadrik 

Cwnych cartweil faid chaive drom o alpen iyr dwile 

Far er eichit is tow zee one dow nach doe crei 

Di chart hanchis is sai sen gow ferriss m'erk awyr 

Id kinne nach crein ri foor sai lein di zave corron 

Da eichit agis trur reyg dleyr in nuile sin ardreve 

Tree toar tre dessirroe in dey vilchallum kennmor 

Da choggyr chorrone a cheine o vilchollum gow alpen 

halpen soss is sai vess xiiii fir gow ferris 

Di chart hanchis issi sen gow ferris m'erk awyr 

Kai lein di hanchiss mir sen reve gow ferris is fedir 

Immigh feinnoil fai twUe tais nach awrreymor nor arviss 

Di bi skeith skol dan skealloe gi reyg vil fa terrawg 

Fwlli artir fo terla fanna macht di chodych di chuslin 

Fwlli choynna fwUi choonna fad kness da hoynna hothrin nin neg 

Fwlli ghrantach maid zroy mir ulle fuUe neil neveille nertur 

Gargweine a geym si gi gross da reym ardre in naythris. 

Aythris. 



A lioudir soo m'eacliag. 

Dymmych me zin zeith a deess o nach leggin in steach eoyn 
Is ee er ni wraa mach er toytht doj^th go m'cloyd 
Mak soonayd nyn soill gal a bi zail less teach er choyn 
Chan uasta zeith a deess oyne m'wUam nin naach loyth 
Ni chotlwm eich no layth nach weggym o trayid so toycht 
Long heithwl in twil zil long in ir la bristir royik 
Ag so in torriskil hwg caith er m'wUam oo clar skeith 
Gil denych deadzal dess far nach ayrryth nach ma neith 
In toychtow lay oynyth faa oyne eiryth v'cloyd in rosg . . , 
Cossloo in angnow sin nert re tylych morrith a vore chreith 
Fer feiltych nach folchin soyd torriskail oyne nyn narm . . 
Fer held sin tachchir er twss fer layr churryth a clw 
M'wllam za dalter meyg v'soynoid er sleicht in reicht 
A glwnym heacht a toyth di wea myth zroym er dol deim. 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 107 

Athair an Eoin sin oileanaich, Maolclioluim na 'r cheil a ni, 

Mac Dhunchaidh mliuiginir bhig reim, onclioin air nacli tig toibheiim. 

Diinchadh eile atliair-san Mac Gillfhaolain oircliill, 

Do shaor leat 'n uair dh' f hoir ri daimh, Mac Aoidh "ur Urcliaidh. 

Ceanan nan corr gatha, athair Aoidh Urchaidh, 

Alpain a gharg mhMn ghlan, ardrigh nam balg bhenm brioghmhor. 

So an ceathramh tuaraisg a's tug, umad a oighre Phadruig, 

Cuimhnich ceart bheil fa'd chaomh, dream Alpain oighre Dhughaill, 

Fear air f hichead is tu f hdin, Eoin dubh nach dubh crd, 

Do cheart sheanchas is e sin, gu Fearghus Mac Eire aghmhoir, 

A'd chinneadh nach crion ri fodhair, sd linn do ghabh coron, 

Da fhichead agus triur righ, dlighear an f hull 's an ardf hreumh, 

Tri tuathruidh, tri deasruidh, an deigh Mhaolcholuim Chinnmhoir, 

Da choigear choron a chinnidh, Mhaolcholum gu Alpain, 

Alpain suas is e bhitheas, ceithir deug fir gu Ferghus, 

Do cheart sheanchas is e sin, gu Fearghus Mac Eire aghmhoir. 

Cia lion de sheanchas mar sin, riamh gu Ferghus faighidir, 

lomadh fine oil fa d'fhuil tathas, nach kireamar n'uair kirmheas, 

Do bu sglth sgoil d' an sgeulaibh, gach righ a bheil fa d'lir fhreumh. 

Full Artuir fa d' urla fann, maith do chuid 'do chuislean ; 

Fuil Chuain, full Chuinn fa'd chneas, da shuthain sothrain n'fhine, 

Full Ghrantach ma'd ghruaidh mar ubhal, fuil Neil nimheil neart-mhoir, 

Garg mhin a ceum 's a gach greas, de reim ard righ an aithris. 

Aithris. 



is e ughdair so Mac Eachaig. 

Diombach mi dhe 'n ghaoith a deas, o nach leigionn a steach Eoin, 

'Us e air a bhreith mach air tuath domh gu Mac Leoid ; 

Mac Sheonaid nan seol geala, a b'aill leis teachd air chuan, 

Cha-n ^isd a ghaoth a deas, Eoin Mac Uilleaim nan each luath. 

M chodaileam oidche no la, nach f haiceam thraigh so tuath, 

Long shiubhail an t-siuil ghil, long an f hir le'm bristear ruaig. 

Aig so an tuairisgeul thug ckch, air Mac Uilleaim Clkr Sgith, 

Gille dian, deud-gheal, deas, fear nach euradh neach mu ni. 

An t-ochdamh la uainn fa Eoin, oighre Mhic Leoid an ruisg . . . 

Coslach an eangnath, 's an neart, ri teaghlach mbr a mhoir chridhe 

Fear faoilteach nach folchainn sud, tuairisgeul Eoin nan arm . . . 

Fear theid 's an tkchair air tiis, fear le'r chuireadh cliii . . . 

Mac Uilleaim dha 'n daltair mi, Mac Sheonaid air sliochd an righ, 

A chluinntinn a theachd a tuath, do bhitheadh mo ghruaim air dol diom. 



io8 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



A houdir soo m'gillindak in fardan. 

Boye hearn er hoissicliew itta voo hiiss in gyni 

Ayrrewich zin ni okarrewicli gycli in ar a braa fisshe 

Kead team in terre so dunclia beg fa mor agne 

Di zag mir chwt delippa ag clynna zreggar in gassga 

Dunca mor za meillezow aythir vennycli vilclioUum 

Sennor oone eynley ner zyil cwnrith nar chowil 

Gregar deymhak dunclia mak woo oone di bea iyr 

Far awzissycli one cliontyth o locht lieyve hoUis tolve 

Oonna dow in gal geilta m'ayrrewych oonna v'gregar 

Salgre zawe dreyth twss gi coggi zi reythal 

Mylcolliim ga zei chowal annit oona dess a athyr 

Dessgirt glinni gal urquhai maseitli di cliaith ma caga 

Itta toisseich noymitin di clinni zregar oo zallew 

Ga vil trey team boye graw sealga is boe gasga 

In nimissir chooni chad cliath di choala mi vaksawle 

Finn ne zaif o zar lanew m'kowle nyn grat calm 

Sealga errin si heyantis ag m'kule nyth gnilley 

Evy ni zoe no ternis er crecbow clanni guil 

Dey ra leyn dane lekfe o charre gow cam vallire 

Roytli zawf ne sessre veitli ag no iye 

laawzone gow belten bonytb gi teith za eanew 

In taiga fa soyve sawke agga in nynnym in neye 

Immyg keiss nach arfee ag finna no ag far a barfFee 

Feachw errin darrm er vakcwle no iye 

Igh vorriddir zeyntew fa vroicbew gi a boinna 

Ag sen ne vil dennirgow voilcboUum ag makmwrn 

Ne zernni finn feane sealga gyn sirreich a kedda 

Sealga albin gin eafre ag milcollum si cbreaclit 

Cunwallich ni coahalga ni gregar is garg dennyth 

Ner venkiclie con croarga gow longwrt clynni beskne 

Leine trotdycli di hoissicbew erre less in lo caicht 

Fir eydda er oyr leyow ga lucht tiy sin tachraa 

Kennoss fynna is feyhonis chotkin is clwe zai kin 

Er barn zasga zley zarvis m 'gregar graigh ni vill 

Immyg na chwrt coleyth selm cowdytli is colk ten 

Ooyr derk er in dornerhew erm loyvin locbawe 

Goyherm eddir clarsicliow done in leicht nane lawow 

A lucht tyi wo hayblissw dwl fa zowir gyr 

Mak gregar boss bar chorkkir m'derwail boye a zallew 

Ane charre nyth calmytht a lawe lar ranik gych raa boye 



THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 109 



Is e ughdair so Mac Gilliondaig am Fear d^n. 

Buaidh thighearn air thoisichibh, a ta thus an cinne, 

Airidheach de na h-oig f hearaibh, gach aon fhear a breith fio?, 

Ceud tighearu na tir-sa, Dunchadh beag fa mbr aigne, 

Do dh' fb^g mar a chiiid dilib, aig clann Ghrigoir an gaisge. 

Dunchadh mbr de mhileadhaibh, athair beannaichte Mhaolcholuim, 

Seanair Eoin aonf hlaith nior gheill, cunradh 'n uair a chunbhail. 

Grigoir deagh-mhac Dhunchaidh, mac Eoin do b'e oighre, 

Fear aibheasach o'n chontath, Loch thaobh sholuis Tulaich. 

Eoin dubh an goil geillte, mac aireadhach Eoin mhic Grigoir, 

Sealgair dhamh dhreachach, tus gach cogadh do fhritheal. 

Maolcholum go dheagh chunbhal, aithnichte Eoin d'dis a athar, 

Deisceart glinne geal Urchaidh, maiseach do chaidh m 'a cachta, 

A ta toiseach an uibliireachd, do chloinne Ghrigoir Ghallaibh, 

'Ga bheil tri tighearn beb, grkdh sealga, 'us beb ghaisge. 

An aimsir Chuinn cheud chatha, do chuala mi a mhac samhail, 

Fionn ni ghabh gheur lannaibh, Mac Cuinhail nan grath calm., 

Sealg Eirinn 's a thighearnas aig Mac Cumhail 'n a coillibh 

Aoibh dha no tighearnas, air criochaibh clanna Ghuill. 

D'f hiodh r'a linn da 'n leigeadh, Charaidh gu Cam Bhalair, 

Roimhe ghabh na seisir, bha aig 'n a fhiodha. 

shamhainn gu bealltainn, bhuineadh gach ti d'a Fhianaibh, 

An t-sealga fa soimheamh samhadh, aig an inblie an fhiodha. 

lomadh cis nach airmhear, aig Fionn no aig fear a Mrmhidh, 

Fiacha Eirinn da roinn, air Mhac Cumhail 'n a f hiodh. 

Fiodh mhoir ridir dh' Fhiantaibh, air bruachaibh gach buinne, 

Aig sin ni bheil diongairean, Mhaoilcholuim aig Mac Muirne. 

M dheanadh Fionn fdin sealg, gun sireadh a cheada, 

Sealg Albainn gun fharraid aig Maolcholum 's a chreacha. 

Cunbhalach 'n an coshealg Mac Grigoir is garg daoine, 

Nior mhince coin cro-dhearg, gu longphort cloinne Bhaoisgne. 

Linn trodach de thoisichibh, diridh leis an la catha, 

Fir iad air oirleachaibh, 'g a luchd ti 'san tkchair. 

Ceannas fion 'us fiiidliantais, coitchinn is cliii dh'a chinneadh, 

Air barn ghaisge ghl^ dhearbhas, Mac Grigoir grkdh ni bheil. 

lomadh 'n a chuirt coluath, saolaim cuideaclid a 's colg teann, 

Or dearg air an dornairibh, airm leoghain Loch Abh. 

Co sheirm eadar cl^rsaichibh, na daoine an Idich 'n an lamhaibh, 

A luchd ti thaibhlisibh a dol far gheibhear gadhar. 

Mac Grigoir bos bkrr chorcuir, Mac Diarbhuil buaidh a Ghallaibh, 

Aon chara na calmachd a lamh, le'r rkinig gach rath buaidh. 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Boy fell re filly th a ne v'clymont cossne 
Di vaddee a clw kinnaze er heiliga a laif loiiye 
Mare mwm oUone teyve menzail is math comma 
Ni clar ga commol corgra groy na sowa. 

Boye liearu. 

A houdir so ym bard roygli finlay. 

Hest ein doyll ni geyll skaile is coyr a chomeith 
Way ra der lot chaalle is crossimeil tork maale giu waas 
A hewrin hanik er dwss ussit a skayle ymbuss 
Mir haa wea reiss er ball in gae zreiss in deoyll 
Di naskiddir er fa rinn nor a zaig say teach eyffria 
Toycht din downe chadni er assi is cowle ra readli farris 
Nayr hauik in tork dow bimmy dayvin ga chwnryth 
Gerwe moejT gi bestyth gir hein gow hanwe oyl eddyth 
Er eggill a weith gin nee rinnith zi v'royre 
A ckuycht gi honuarych ann an rycht chonna in neiffrin 
Is coyr in nagryth hay in deewe ag allane er in deolew 
Gar bee faa reit orrith er leym no heim etrycht 
Is meith skurri ryth warwne hennwy thick weicharne 
Vek royre on wonr a mach foyr nee gin low gin lawych 
Fa chathram a chur in sinne dlewm conyth re collwm 
see cathram ter uUe allane weil wyonurre 
Di rinn tussi is ne he Avanenych creach y is rellig ooran 
Is tow zochin gi borbe ann coychill nyn nord is nyn neiffrin 
Is tow woyr oik inchezawle is tow vok a keiss si termyn 
Is tow is geltee noss a mach la lentir foss di hossych 
Ach ein wille er a law clee di wrayr a v'royree 
Ne closs di zlo o sin machi si cross wee zid wallichyth 
Math in deiss faa in will di lane dowsen foyss is dalwyth 
Woo cheyd tossych di chogge a wrane clossich in abbe 
Creach ellyth nach royth sin lygh er fenane in glen gar 
Wallich di neive fertyth feyne di weill zalytth a allane 
Id taa mir gith neiwe elli a deilt a orwrrych 
Chur dov/ich la chwiss feyn in cowych in giiwss allane 
Di her zowich is di loyg di wonit deit a chraw hoygh 
Leggit derri di wurn eddir selli is sowyrnni 
Ne henyth a wee a banenych faddyth o bin chroich allane 
Na looyewe er layr in ir qnhoy ga wayr is ga fwyr 
Meith in ness skurri zid ter a v^'royre anmein 
Ellein nach gress in gress cathrame tesgin is orchess. 

Hest. 



I 



MODERN..] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. in 

Buaidh feile ri filidhibh, a ni Mac Laomuinn a chosnadh, 
Do mhadaidh a chliu ceann-aigli, air thiolacadh. a lamh luatli. 
Mairidh muime oUamhan, mingheal is maith com, 
Na cliar 'g a comoladh, corcra a gruaidh no siigli. 

Buaidh thigheam. 

Is e ughdair so am bard ruadh Fionnladh. 

Theasd aon diabhul nan Gaidheal, sgeul is coir a chuimlineacli, 

Bha ri daor lot chille is chroise, maol tore mall gun mheas ; 

A ifrionn tliainig air tiis, usaide an sgeul iombus, 

Mar tha bhi ris air ball, an gathaibh gbreas an diabhuil. 

Do nasgaidear air faraon 'n uair a dh' f hkg se teacb ifrinn, 

Teacbd do 'n dim cheudna air ais, 'us ciil ri reulta Pharraia. 

'N uair a thainig an tore dubh, b'iomadh deamhain 'ga chur, 

Garbh meoghar gach bdisd, gur h-aon guth sheanmh uile iad ; 

Air eagail a bhi gun ni, roinneadh do Mhac Euaraidh, 

A chuid gu h-onoireach ann, an riochd chon aim an ifrionn. 

Is coir an agradh tha an diugh, aig Allan air na diabhlaibh, 

Ge 'r bith fa ruig orra, ar leam ni thiom eadrochd, 

Is mithich sgur ri foirionn, sheanmhadhach mhiochaireanach, 

Mhic Ruaraidh o'n mhuir a mach, fhuair ni gun luth gun lamliach. 

Fa chaithream a chur an suim, dligheam coinnidh ri Calum, 

's e caithream an tir uile, Allan mhaoil a mhionoir, 

Do rinn tusa 'us ni h-e mhkin, creach I 'us reilig Grain, 

Is tu dhochainn gu borb ann, cochuU nan ord 'us nan aifrionn; 

Is tu mhbr olc Innse Ghall, is tu bhochd a cis 's a tearmunn, 

Is tu is geilte nbs a mach, le leantar fbs do thoiseach, 

Ach aon bheil air a laimh chli, do bhrathair a Mhic Ruaraidh, 

M clos do ghleb o sin a mach, 's a chrois bhi 'g ad mhallachadh, 

Maith an dithis fa an bheil do Ian, dubh sin fbs is dealbh, 

G cheud thoiseach do chogaidh, a bhreun chlosaich an Aba, 

Creach eile nach robh 's an lagh, air Finan an Gleann Garaidh. 

Mhallaich do nimh fhearta f^in, do mhaol dhealbh, a Allan, 

A ta mar gach nimh eile, a diolt a oirbhireach ; 

Chuir diithaich le chuis fdin, an cuthach an gnuis AUain. 

Do shaor dhuthaich 'us do shluagh, do bhuineadh duit a chrkdh thuath, 

Leigeadh deireadh do mhuirn, eadar Seile, agus Subhairn. 

Ni h-ioghnadh a bhi buininn, fada o binn chroiche, Allan, 

Na luaidhe air lathair an fhir, chaidh 'g a mhathair 'us ga phiuthair, 

Mithich a nis sguir dhe d'aoire, a Mhic Ruaraidh ainmhine, 

Gilean nach greasann greas, caithream d'dsgein is oircheas. 

Theasd. 



THE BOOK OF 



HoAEis mak mir in taayr macli er flathew ir neolyes 

A areoll a eyg si agna is me ga chaddrew in looyss 

Fess is agna flaa oyra raath la in deantir 

Der lat in mak soo foyr mee gir a bea in royree cadna 

Is innyn in dy cliooyll is monor za olt faymyth 

Is innin woltyr in gaew torkild is ayir ayrrewich 

Da deggew ra linn torkild ni hay lokgi din tromm zawe 

Di ne za bert is boyn aythris zor v'colman 

Immi carde er a moltyr torkill in awi'a clireive 

Er low is er lawyth curre a tacht gow dull in c . . . 

Is der me za lialle dess aue si eolyss 

Nach danik fer a eiss is farre no re so looyss 

Da bi less a cliarga worwe schayd is serve lior sal 

Di wronna ni vcorkill da rochin ter a inna 

Ag m'royere ne mercholl da ym belt in sann cholg sneitli 

No schayd elli a ber foynow di wronna so re emiycht 

Skea chenzaik no schayd orryk far aiss formit ni wuUe 

Wssless ym brwnnych no elli oUew in sirri 

Da ym bea in lea mor mathi zaithew no in dark drwtych 

Ner wunyth farda clachlin gin weith fa eachree dwltych 

Da bi less in dow seillin m'leoda da in nythrin clarri 

Less ni haksow in teachsin ga ba a racha da harre 

Ta ag torkill ogeanych nach myghich namm choltke 

Cosga gych terri zi hylych di loyg menych gow cokgi 

Ne warri no eiss cachullin na torkill dwlling tentaa 

Lawe is callma si is clista fer wreisse gi a beruna 

Gar zinvin m'v° corkill ne woUin ay er ansicht 

Far is tress in noyr awza ewthir zraw ziu wratycht 

Ne elle ni re no flaa di wadda rath za goalla 

Ne v'caUen katreine boss weilli aria doilch . . . 

Inynn earla erzeill in neywen is farri hoaris 

HorrimjT ben ir neiUe di zayk wor zreive zast 

Ne v'callen crowich oykwla cowle mir in cornan cass. 

Hoaris. 



A lioiidir so gillecalum m'yn noollew. 

Hanic yvyr mi hiirss cha lamm quhoy in wlygin soo 
Ne tugsi zi nach nacht tug mi hurss hecht mir hanic 
Gai bee neach nach tuggi sin hecht coythlane dim chow 
Ni Iwtsi faich om chomm turssi na creachew royowm 



MODiiRN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 113 

Fhuaireas mac mar an t-athair, mach thar flathaibh ar n eblais, 

A airill 'aghaidh 'us aigne, 'us mi 'g a chaidrimh an Leoclhas ; 

Fios agus aigne flath, uair ratliach le an deantar, 

Deirim leat am mac so f huair mi, gur a b'e an Kuaraidh ceudna. 

Is ionann an da chul, is onoir atliar dh' a 'f holt fainneacli, 

Ts ionann a mholtar an cathaibh, Torcuil 'us 'athair airidheacli. 

De'n tigeadh ri linn Thorcuil, ni e loclida do'n trom dhaimli, 

Do ni dha heart 'us buaidheau, aithris a f huair Mac Oolmain. 

lomadh ceaird air a mholtar, Torcuil an amhra chraoibh. 

Air liith 'us air Ikmhach, cuiridh a thaic gu dol an cathaibh. 

A deir mi dh' a thaobh, d'dis aithne 's a eblas, 

Nach tainig fear d'a aois is fearr, no righ so Leodhais. 

Do bu leis a chairge mhordha, send a's soirbhe a f huair skil, 

De bhronnadh Mac Mhic Thorcuil, da rochdainn tir a fhineadh, 

Aig Mac Ruaraidh nam mircheol, do 'm bitheadh an seann cholg snaigli- 

'N a send eile a b'fhior fuanadh, do bhronnadh se righ Eanaich. [each, 

Sgiath cheannghaig 'n a send oirdheirc, fear is farumaich nimheil, 

Usa leis am bronnadh, no a bheil uUamh an sireadh. 

Da am bith an leth mbr maith, dh' eachaibh 'n an dearg druidhteach, 

Mor bhuineadh fear a chleachdainn, gun bhith fo eachraidh diultach. 

Do bu leis an Dubh Seibhlin, Mac Leoid do 'n iarrann cliara, 

Leis na th' aigse an t-each sin, ge b'e a rachadh d' a iarraidh. 

Tha aig Torcuil bganaich, nach meathaich an km chogaidh, 

Casgadh gach tir dh' a theaghlach, de shluagh miannach gu cogadh. 

M b'f hearr 'n a aois Cuchullain, na Torcuil d'fhulang teanntachd, 

Lamh is calma 's is clisde, fear a bhriseas gach a bearna. 

Ge 'r ionmhuinn Mac Mhic Thorcuil, nior mholainn e air annsachd. 

Fear is treise an uair agha, iuchar ghrkidh do 'n bhantrachd. 

Ni bheil mac righ no flath, do b'fhaide rath do chualas, 

Ge minic leinn an rochdainn, is fearr no Torcuil a fhuaireas. 

Ni Mhic Chailein, Caitriona, bos mhil earlamh dualchas, 

Inghin larla Earaghaidheal, an aon bhean is fearr a fhuaireas. 

Fhuaireamar bean ar n-ile, de gheug mhor dhream ghasda, 

Ni Mhic Chailein chraobhach bgail, ciil mar an coirnean cas. 

Fhuaireas. 



I 



Is e uglidair so Gilliecalum Mac an Ollaimh. 



Thainig aobhar mo thuirse, cha leam chaidh a bhliadhna so, 
Ni tuigse do neach nach tuig, mo thuirse theachd mar thainig, 
Cia b'e neach nach tuigeadh sin, th'eachd comhlan do 'm chumha, 
Na lotsa feuch o'm chom, tuirse na creuchda ro gheibheam. 



:i4 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Is hevin lamni ga degkir royf tegwaill er cliort ni co . . . 

It ta ym broiie gym crayg fa claa is mor mi zrayg zin . . . 

Ha mi crei im za la cha neynitli aa weith breista 

Ha mi chorp gin noyill gin nwll mir woclit gin troyr ch . . . 

Cha neynitli ko^y za mayd orrv.^m in ney v'merraid 

A bcith Cvvnich er waath yn ir cha nwlmist flaath zaks . . . 

Is trwmi zwnitli na zwl anwon na zey sin seill 

Mi craw is toyr er zwll ass in law foaris wo Eitlmis 

Ga dagkir lamm dellew riss m'oone a ckoarra will . . 

Is messi ay gyn wiUi ass gin way tilli gow lieiuis 

Ga fadda weitlim woa mow is mi Inch toayllis ym zei 

Di bi zanitli mi rayth rinn kenich cha nearrih orr . . . 

Cha neynith magnith di waith re faggin team elli 

Mi lane gin mi wreith gi tromm o ta mi re gin anw , . . 

Di crawg mi ere za essi skaill is furris a assness 

Cha nelli fwlich er mi wrone di wlygh cwrith mi . . . 

Mor mi wrone is ne henith doith cha twrssi ta . . . 

Zargin mi creith gi lomm gin sleith in albin aggwn 

JSTessi OSS egin doif tryill mi wee ag caith f . . . 

Ra luithsi di banith z^T^ a hinsoo aid a alb . . . 

Ga di rylum is degkir Iwm ga ta mir eahw orrwm 

Mi rown di zlowe a mew cowle reim zowe ym zeyge 

Is sai neit fa derri zoif er lamne cha vec in tyvir 

Gin mi zeil a heacht er ass eill er a lechtisi enis 

Is trwm na ayg sin a low tanic za amsir 

A cnoo chre si craw cwrp gin slee ag caich ga zeilt 

Ner hellis dwnni er doithin a wayd a raith er chensichyth 

Gyr falli orn agis ort malli lar horn a hygirt 

sai zonedir a zwll troyg nach awl di waamir 

A v'miir wasszall vinn gin dwn tasgin aggin 

In nean neach ra ygre zill na gar gin doll na zeyge 

Noch rayey is feddi no sin din waid vag di wontyr 

Luch catdrew a chowle gamm er nanich chach a gomun 

A nagni di choye er assi troye gi caddrew ass taguss 

Da bi zekgir commis rwmm is di we om hearn aggwm 

Catdrew coychoill is tawf agni roywor gin an lawe 

Nor hed caith za dy noyll is sea mi chwt da nonor 

Weith fa wrone gin dein a mew ag goyll mi zeiU di chowe 

Tym anvin gin dol ter ayss cha nanin cowe ass magwss 

. ach aggi din chowe mee is palte ni dowe elli 

. ymith neach roythin reyve di chur cowe fa zemeyg 

. na wonso darvir loom wrskal nar zawe roythim 

Di quhoala mee fad o hen — ut seqiiitnr in alio loco etc. 

Mac sowalti ni bree binn daltan chaiff is chonell. 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMOKE. 115 

Is aoibhinn learn ge deacair roimhe, tengbhail air glioirt cna . . . 

A ta am brbn gu 'm cliradhadh fo 'm chlfeibh, is mbr mo glirMh do'n . . . 

Tha mo cliridhe 'na dha leth, cha-n ioghnadh e bhi briste, 

Tha mo cborp gun f heol gun flinil, mar bhochd gun treoir . . . 

Cha-n ioghnadh cumha dh' a meud, orm an deigh Mhic Mairirid, 

Abhi cuimhneach air mhaith anfhir, cha-n bheileamaidflath dh' f hkg . . . 

Is truime dhuinne na dhol, anmhuinn 'n a dheigh 's an t-saoghal, 

Mo chradh a's d'f huair air dhol as, an lamhach f huaireas Aonghus, 

Ge deacair leam dealach' ris, Mac Eoin a chomhraidh mhilis, 

Is miosa e gun mhilleadh esa, gun bhi tilleadh gu 'innis. 

Ge fada a bhitheam m'kgh, us mo luchd tuaileis a'm dheigh, 

Do bu dheanadh mo rath ruinn, ceannach cha-n iarradh orra . . . 

Cha-n ioghnadh m'aigne do bhaithte, ri faicsinn tighearn eile, 

Mi Ikn gun mo bhrigh gu trom, ta mo righ gun anamain. 

Do chrkdhadh mo chridhe d'a dis, sgeul is furasd a f haisneas, 

Cha-n eil fulachd air mo bhrbn, do bhlagh cuiridh . . . 

Mor mo bhrbn 'us ni h-ioghnadh dhomh, cha tuirse . . . 

Dheargainn mo chridhe gu lom, gun sliochd an Albain againn. 

Nis 's digin domh triall, mo bhi aig ckch fo . . . 

Ri luidhese do b'aithne dhol, i h-innse aid na h-Albainn. 

Ge do thriallaim is deacair leam, ge ta mar fhiachaibh orra, 

Mo riln do dhlii a miighadh, cul re'm dhuthaich a 'm dheigh. 

Is e an ni fa d'dirich dhomh, ar leam cha bheag an t- aobhar. 

Gun mo ghaoil a theachd air ais, lie air a leth taobh Innis. 

Is trom na aghaidhsan, a liith thainig dha aimsir, 

A cnkmh' chridhe 's a crkdh' chorp, gun slighe aig each d'a dhiolt. 

Nior shaoileas duine ar domhainn, a mheud a rath air cheansachadh, 

Gur falamh oirnn agus ort, mala le'r h-oirnn a thigeadh. 

's e ghuineadar a dhol, truagh nach amhuil a bhamar, 

A Mhic Mhuire bhos-gheal bhinn, gun duine a d'asgainn agaiiin. 

An aoin neach r'a aghaidh ghile, na gur gun dol 'n a dheigh, 

Noch rath is fada no sin, de'n mheud bha aig do mhuinntir. 

Luchd caidrimh a chuil cam, air n' aithnich ckch an comunn, 

An aigne do chaidh air ais, is truagh gach caidrimh as d'eugmhais. 

Do bu dheacair coimeas rium, 'us do bhi o 'm thighearn agam, 

Caidreamh cochaill 'us daimh, aigne ro mhbr gun a laimh. 

'N uair theid ckch dha do'n M, is e mo chuid de'n onoir, 

Bhith fo bhrbn gun deanamh mugh, ag bl mo dhiol de chumha. 

Taim anmhuinn gun dol tar dis, cha-n anmhuinn cumha as m'eugmhais. 

Cach aig do'n chumha mi, is pailte na dubha eile, 

lomadh neach romhainn riamh, do chur cumha fo dhimhiodh, 

. na bhuin so dearbhar leam, ursgeul na'r ghabh romham, — 

Do chuala mi fad shean, etc. — Ut sequitur in alio loco. 

Mac samliailt na brigh binn, daltan Chaoimh 'us Chonuil. 



ii6 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



Artour dawle mak gurkycli. 

Dail chawle er chastel soyne swork in nathre in innisfail 

Markeich yth rachtych nyth tonnyth glantyr barkytli done nytli za^ve 

Fir ardyth geggyr nyth longso er lome loytli lenis cort 

Newe lawyth gin galzaitli gast nare scarryth snast swork 

Dyth chottonew is dew zegre yin nyth barg fa chrewe laig 

Dyth chothrew in gress clar zone lochlynnych is armyn eaid 

Dyth clyew gin or is ded eggyr vark nyth brad done 

Narre claith dyth zaithew galzaith skaith re fraew lawrych long 

Er skayth scai er scwddai brakith broo scarrych chorkrych cloch nor 

Broythnyth ad keve agis collar er teve nyth slat ro zarrowe 

Geyth gorm in golnew lowark long gai lenyth nare traith 

Claith hend zai gohind dyth cholgew forrin skaith re bordew barg 

Mnaew findmyth in grenanew longsyth lappyth arcl ag naynyth vawle 

Pyllyth vrakkyth zawe gane darryth lap ag mnaew ra hanelaith and 

Pyllyth wrakith royl is tynoll is e sen lochr in long 

Byve hwnenyth syth ror goth dwUych royl chorkir oss gych cran 

Gin lawin chroy gin chreiss codyth nar gerve seiss gin chnr la clar 

Na said derrit and gyn nymirt dyth clarrew eland vyn ard vail 

Ner cholis urdil in nane zor nynoss gyn chur re kard 

Na said or o errin aggytli dyn wrone var hang dattych derk 

Ni low la long zane loigew ym baith na nach is nid boe 

Gin ocht gin von dew gyn wrouenyth snee el ter gyn lomyth loe 

Ne heillssyth loa carve zai garrew in lane dynnoss hyntych voy 

Ag ryne or er vardew ra hard zoive carve coyne 

Ymit fer land is fer lorych ymit fer loith gytli lem caith 

Ea sow monezone farg farzone ra hard in long ban char blaith 

Ka so la soltyr in cawlych er chaslane soyne sleive trom 

Fer srengych nach sechnit sedyth lai chryne schorryth codeith coy 

One m^soyne soil yth longsyth er drome yth choyne croy in kenn 

Cryne yth long deine chor in nard dervit tone in varg . . . 

Geith gyth derrych zove nane dye ag keil akkyth derytli trait 

Soil vrakkyth zove na bolgew oyne id tech gow bordew barg 

Gavis eine aggirsaid evin in nuch chnappiddil corg kow . . . 

Kawra vartew donenyth dalvych lakrych crandyth lowyth is 

Lynd ag ballichew albin fartych faltych ra hocht sliomis . . . 

Alin sin in gorkrych colane silly th drochtych lomlane lynd 

Faltych ag sroythew sleyve moone re m'soynyth sieve miss 

Teggyth tantyth daksk nane nyrvr daltyr mir rask rinland riss 

Leggyth gaiggyth in glownyth fow fartych failtych rar vlaith coil 

Mest slantyth cowl gych callyth trome in valtyth nye oyne 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. ii; 



Artuir dall Mac Giircaich. 

Dail chabhlaich air Cliaisteal Suiblme, siiairc an eachdraidh an Innisfail, 
Marcaich a rachadh nan tonn, glantair bare an tonn nior ghabh. 
Fir arda ag eagar na luingse, air leam luatli a leanas cuairt, 
Ni bhitli Ikmh gun glialgliath gasd, an aireamli sgarach, snasda, suairc. 
Do cbotanaibli is duibb dh' eagradh, do na bharc fa chraobh Idig, 
De choraighibh an crios clar-dhaoine, Loclilanaicli is armuinn iad. 
De chleathaimh gon br 'us deud, eagar blikrc nam breid donn, [long. 
An aireamh cliath de ghatbaibh galghath, sgiath ri fraighibh lamhrach 
Air sgiath sgiothach air sgud breac, bru sgarach chorcrach, chlothara, 
Broin f had caomh 'us comhlair, air taobh nan slat ro gharbh. [traigh, 
Gaoth ghorm an guailnibh an luath bharc, long 'g a lionadh an diridh 
Cliabh theann do chochuinge de cholgaibh, foirionn sgdith ri bordaibh bkrc. 
Mnathan fionn an grianaibh 'n longsa, leabaidh ard aig nigheanaibh mhall, 
Pille bhreac dhoibh gun d'fhuaireadh, leap aig mnathaibh ri eanfhlaith 
Pille bhreac de shroil is taithneal, is e sin lothar an long, [ann. 

Baoibh, shonnanach, 's an ruathar gu dol, 'shroil chorcuir os gach crann. 
Gun lamhan chruaidh gun chrios cuide, nar garbh sios gun chur ri cleir, 
Na seoid d'eirich ann gun imirt, de chliaraibh, clann bhinn ard bh^il. 
Nior chnalas urdail an Fhian^ dh 'ur n-innis gun chuir ri ceaird, 
Na seoid ur o Eirinn aca de'n bhroin bhar-sheang, dathta, dearg. 
M luath leatha long dhe 'n longaibh, am bi na neach 'us ni 'd beo, 
Gun och, gun lionn dubh, gun bhrbn, 's ni bheil teirginn loma leo. 
Ni shaoileadh si luath cairbh de chairbhibh, an Ikn de 'n nbs shinte 
Aig roinn br air bhkrdaibh, ri h-krd dhoibh cairbhe cuain. [uaith, 

lomadh fear lann 'us fear luirich, iomadh fear luath gu leum catha, 
Ri &iigh. muinghin fairg fearghuin, ra h-ard an luing banchair blaith. 
Cia so le soltar an cabhlach, air chaislean Suibhne Sleibh troma, 
Fear sreangach nach seachnadh seideadh, le chroinn sireadh chuid cbir. 
Eoin Mac Suibhne, seol an longsa, air druim a chuain, cruaidh an ceann, 
Croinn an luing dean chur an aird, dearbhaid tuinn a bharc sin. . . . 
Gaoth gun d'dirich dhoibh 'n an deigh, aig Gaol Aca deireadh trkigh, 
Siuil bhreaca dhoibh 'n am bolgaibh, Eoin a teachd gu bord . . . 
Gabhas an acarsaid aoibhin, an uchd Chnapadail coirce . . . 
An amhra mhbr, tiugh, donn, dealbhach, lacharach, crannach, luath 'us . . . 
Leinn aig ballachaibh Albainn, furtach failteach ri uchd sloimh . . . 
Aluinn sin an corcradh comhlan, sileadh driuchd lomlan loinn. 
Failteach aig sruthaibh Sleibh Muin, ri Mac Suibhne Sleibh Mis, 
Tigidh cainntich d'f bogus 'nan eirbhar, daltair mar rosg roinnlan ris. 
Leigidh geug an glun fo f hkirtidh, faillteach ri 'r bhlaith goil, 
Misde slainte cul gach cala, trom am failte an aghaidh Eoin. 



Ii8 THE BOOK OF [ancie.nt. 

Tegge eiss ellin albin yth fanit faltyth er one clione miss 
Lwch canteitli myr venonr dyclmir failtyth o renew riss 
Graytli wee ymirwae ane ettrytli feine in nan choil 
Annytli mir cloesytli dey hr mr liai tullytli lianyth oyne 
Dyth neid caitli in gasslane soyne fa liawik chroitliin cliryn vurb 
Soyit fa liymcMl in scorsen fynvar neve liislaue lurk 
Za ley hollis tewe nawit myr neve nathyr gone nyth grand 
Keil clave o zress ezoyr meilnayr less goluyth gawle 
Cellar mitt oil v 'soyne ra solss in nad clwk dyth clioym 
Is feyr nacli deine din clok in cawor sie deine doltnych valklang vor 
Nor nacli deine dai Iwrych thrawre er skai cliottone na skadow 
Gavis raclilin sceinezar scarrycli mevor clatliwan calm cor 
In tane clai is farrytli sin norpe sai is lewrych leuis myne 
Cai ska,ith sin doyn nacli diugsen treach gyn noyn clyne erm 
One m'soyne ny sly godyth lai cliolg tane teskbycli vawle 
Sar nacli skaitli wai skai brak done taris treach dekhorn dawle. 

Dail chawle. 



Yssbell ne vkellan, 

Margi za gallir in grawg ga bee fa fane abbriim ee 
Degkir skai-richtin ra phart troyg in chayss in vellum feyn 
In grawg sen tuggis gin ness oss sai mi less gin a loyth 
Mir hwe mi furtych traa beetli mi wlaa gi tanuyth troyg 
In fer sen za duggis graw ys nach feadis rawge oss nard 
Da gurfee missa boyn gymi do feyn is kayd marg. 

Margi. 



A houdir so dimchaa ogga. 

Seachta seyda ter mo iiee ta gach sayada deive gim lot 
Teachta eddrim agis dea o say sin is mean lam chorp 
Hein dew ta in near ym bey za in goo anmyth creiss 
Menknit waal ay mee in boyt er ne hanyth foss yn neiss 
In darnyth sayda in drwss sin a ciiwss da willum der 
Woo lot nyth syda na zoo ne ellwm boa woa a rein 
In tress dew id taa in naltew mi craw is steitli 
Cha lega in lessga za doyn miss slee chor er beitlit 
An carrow sayd in tant a zea mark in doyr ee gwn 
Furtych cha iiayni rem ray gin reach crea er mo vwn 
In cogew sayd din zlag chur demis a cliur rwm gi hoik 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 1 19 

Tigidh aois Eilein Albainn, a farracli faillte air o'n tlionn meise, 
Luchd cainnte mar bhuinear, deiclinear faillte rannaibh ris. 
Greath bhi iomarbhaidh ann, eadara fein ann an ceol, 
Aithne nitliear doibh 's an deagh uair, mar tlia tulacli Mne Eoin. 
Do nithead cath an Caislean Suibline, fa sheabhag chroidhein a chroinn 
Suidhead fa thimcbioll an sgor sin, fionnmhor nimh luslan luirg. [bhuirb, 
De slileigh tboUas taobh namliaid, mar nimh nathair guineich grannd, 
Gaol clilaidheamh ghreas a fhuair, meilnichear leis colna Gliall. 
Geilearmaid uile Mhic Suibline, ri soillse an f had glilug d' an chuain, [mbr. 
Is fior nach dean do 'n glilug an cabhar, 's e dian, diultnacli, balglan, 
M'r nach dian doibh luireach threibheir air sgiath cliotan 11a sgeith donn, 
Gabhas Reachlinn sgian-gheiir sgarach, meobhar claidhean calma corr. 
An tan clilaidheamh is fearr 's an Eorpa, se is luireach le na 's miann, 
Cia sgiath, 's an domhain nach diongainn, treabhach gun on cloinn Eirinn. 
Eoin Mac Suibhne na sligheadach, le 'cholg tan, teasgach, mhall, [ach,dall. 
Fear noch 'sgiath bhi sgiath bhreac, dhonn, f huaireas treabhach, deaghrun- 

Dail chabhlaich. 



Iseabail ni Mhic Chailein. 

Mairg do 'n galar an grkdh, ge b'e fath fa 'n abraim e, 
Deacair sgarachdainn r'a phkirt, truagh an cks 's a bheileam fdin, 
An grkdh sin thugas gun fhios, 's e mo leas gun a luaidh, 
Mar f haigh mi furtachd trkth, bithidh mo bhlkth gu tana truagh ; 
Am fear sin do 'n tugas grMli, 'us nach faodas rkdh os n-aird. 
Da cuiridh mise am buan chioma, domh fein is ceud mairg. 

Mairg. 



Is e uglidair so Duncliadh 6g. 

Seachd saighid ta air mo thi, ta gach saighid diubh 'g am lot, 

'Teachd edraim agus Dia, 's e sin is miann le' m chorp ; 

A h-aon diubh ta an t-uabhar, am bi dha an gath ann mo clirios, 

Minic a mheall e mi am buaidh, air ni thainig fois a nis. 

An dara saighead an drus, sin a chuis do bheileam daor, 

lot n a saighid 'n a ghb, ni .bheileam beb a rian ; 

An treas diubh a ta, an altaibh mo chr^ a stigh, 

Cha leig an leisg dhe 'dheoin, mise slighe choir air bitli ; 

An ceathramh saighead an t-sannt, a Dhia mairg an d'f huair e guin, 

Furtachd cha-n fhaigheam ri m r^ gun riochd crd air mo mhuin. 

An cuigeamh saighead an glamair, dimeas a chuir rium gu h-olc, 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Cut re marrum a chrawg agis o noch slane mi chorp 
Zeiwe in tessow sayd garga churris ferga eddrwm is cayd 
Mwrre chaska nyn niircliir reym o natli wewm dein gow brath 
An seaclitow sayd in tiiil formit is tnov/ riss gi neitli 
M sayd gay in waymot kin inta sin cba nil er breith Jt 

Zlaksin ille nach choyr mor a wilter lessin narm % 

Char heilk dwn zeyve nar woyal char woul dwn reyve nor warve 
Currwm peaddir ein v'dey is crea nyn nostil gyth beacht 
Eddrwm agis gwn nyn arm is v psalm no vi no seacht. 

Seachta. 



Auctor murreich albanach. 

Meich doth treyl gow teigh ph arris nor a zone gon a serve 
Cossnome in teyg traue gin cherri gyn skail ag nach el orn 
Dane dy struth rad haggirt scor cwne gi dlow ymit tolk 
Na berra a hy reith gyn ag skail is preve ra akre ort 
Na dan folchan id fekgith ga grane re ynnis a hoik 
Legga did chwt a clath davr mar be angre zayvil ort 
Dane di he ris in luchd drach ga din ga avezon lad cor 
Scur rid locht di zul dyn doyn ma ym be oik ri oyn ort 
Marg a threig teyg in ardre er zray phekke troy in nee 
In tolk in ne donna gi devyr ymmi in sin feyzin mon zneve 
Ag so sermon di heil nawzeve mir helim nath vil sche in brek 
Fulling a vaissyth schal gow sathin in fer noch dothe gin ded 
Ar a chenych seil nawzeve dwl a cholle agis da chree 
Er a reir gi dany salke gyr ga deine ra ym begca mee. 

Meich. 



Murreich ut supra. 

Baith yn ere vec zey pekkich mir a mee mor in skail 
Meissit dith di dor in neiss cross eiss crist er my vail 
A eissi crist sayn ditvoss mayth za choss is mo za lave 
Agis saynsi mis id zone a eddir uUi is sal is chnave 
Ner scurris danew ulk di chin voyr mi churp an . . . 
A choissvoyg gyn rove hawle er mi chenn is er mi chree 
Raith mis a voyr vor vin gi brone a ma dor li mai 
Sol fan dachaa mee fan nod gin rove roym gych rod raa. 

Baith. 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 12] 

Guide ri m'urram a chrkdhadh, agus o nach slan mo chorp ; 
Dhiubh an t-seathamh saigliead gharg, chuireas fearg eadraim 'us ckch, 
Muire 'chasgadh nan urcliair rium, o nach fliaigheam dion gu brkth ; 
An t-seachdamh saighead an t-siiil, farmad 'us tnii ris gach ni, 
Na saighid 'g am faigheamaid cion, annta sin clia-n 'eil ar brigh ; 
Ghlac sin gille nach cbir, mbr a mhiltear leis an arm, 
Char thilg duine dhoibh nar bhuail, char bhuail duine riamh nar mharbh. 
Ouiream paidear aoin mhic Dh.6, 'us creud nan Abstol gu beachd, 
Eadraim agus guin nan arm, 'us cuig salm no b6 no seachd. 

Seachd. 



An t-ughdair Muireadhacli Albanach. 

Mithich domh triall gu tigh Pharais, 'n uair a ghuin gun e soirbh, 
Cosnaim an tigh treun gun choire, gun sgeul aig neach eile oirnn. 
Dean do sriuth ri 'd shagairt, 's coir cuimhneach gu dlii mu d' olc, 
Na beir do thigh righ gun agh, sgeul is priomh ri agradh ort. 
Na dean folchainn a'd pheacadh, ge grain ri innseadh a h-olc, 
Leigeadh do chuid an cleith diomhair, mun bi angair gabhail ort,' 
Dean do shith ris an luchd dreuchd, ge dona, ge anbhuan le'd chor, 
Sguir ri'd lochd, do ghul dean domhain, mu 'm bi olc ri fhaighinn ort. 
Mairg a threigeadh tigh an Ardrigh, air ghrkdh peacaidh, truagh an ni. 
An t-olc ni duine gu diomhair, iomadh an sin fiachan mu'n ghniomh. 
Aig so searmon do shiol an Adhaimh, mar shaoilim nach bheil se am 
Fulang a bhkis seal gu seachainn, is fior nach deth gun d'theid, [breug, 
Fhir a cheannaich siol an Adhaimh, d' f huil, a choUa, 'us da chridhe, 
Air a rdir gun deanadh sealga, ge'r ge dian ri'm bitheadh mi. 

Mithich. 



Am Muireadhacli ceiidna. 

A bhi an cridhe Mhic Dhe, peacach mar mi mbr an sgeul, 
Mise d'a gun d'fhuair a nis, crois losa Criosd air mo bheul ; 
A losa Criosd scan de'd mhos, mo dha chos 'us mo dha Ikmh, 
Agus seansa mise de'd dhebin, eadar fhuil, 'us shal, 'us chnkmh. 
Nior sguireas deanamh uilc, do chion mhbr mo chuirp a ni, 
A chaisrig gun robh thall, air mo cheann 'us air mo chridhe. 
Rath mis a mhoir fhir bhinn, gach brbn mu'n d'fhuair le mi, 
Sul fa 'n deachaidh mi fo 'n fhoid, gun robh romham gach rbd reidh. 

A bhi. 



THE BOOK OF [ancient. 



A lioudir soo murreich albanycli. 

Dane mi lieggissk a threnoit a liearn in deit in clioyl 

Ling er mi hange a tlirenot bennych. inn id venot wor 

A threnot new er ni neyve nert marm neyve in noss 

Ling agis coddill ym chree a chinn phopbill neywe in noss 

Stur my layve teggisk mi chree teggisk mi roskg reith nyn skayle 

Ling er mi zouth gloss ym henge skouth reim chloos benne mi wayl 

Soo ym bayl leddri leive chaskis caytli cliwneiss gi neith 

Soo yn tange nach terg lawrytli benne a herk manmi ee 

Ort a tbrenoit oclit a threnoit ter yn leyghis lawyr rwmm 

Id ta a will zal chrann darrych cree pekkycli sallych yn sown 

Gar zolk maa nar willis denyth ne zarni merlee a v'zey 

Mi law no char leddar dwnyth fregir er zraw wur mee 

Fer gin danynsi dane breyga er wrega ella awra gorm 

Ne zin wreyga er wreyga ella re in deyd er ormmae 

Hwss a hug elle in nwm ne hagoyr zoiss zwU reay 

Noch cha lawe in rik no aalsi helic dane dawsi ach dea 

Ne dwni er talwun dim heggisk a hearn ach hwss feyu 

Ne far a ne rann ach re neiwe di ne hawle si chre cheyll 

Ma si licht fer er a willum caythe ay mayd moyd inn 

Mass er a wreyg a taym a threnot leyg er layr ner royd inn 

Ner choyr crea na tallow harrum ach tonn wraye beg in nerg 

Ner choyr ne elli dim allich a reith ach tennyth zarrych zerga 

Di zalvesi in teyve soo a threnot di hallow is di henni wee 

Dwnni di henni is hallown fwuni zy r awli ee. 



The following fragment is continued from pages 1 2 and 1 3 of the 
Gaelic, where the first twenty-two lines of the composition will be found. 
Having been misplaced in the MS., the leaf containing the folio wing- 
lines was only discovered after the rest had been printed off : — 

Ga beg a chwle chronanych ni in dad one zat zryme 
Gin nis din re woralych ne rey fa wil a skaye 
Ne hay sin di v'cowle re math we sin ne faynow, 
Rachteis fir in doythin 'n a thigh wle gin nearri 
Is troygh Iwm a henor is how in derri teissi 
Cha chorymich a wra sin ver how er mi reissi 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 123 



Is e ugiidair so Muireadhacli Albanach. 

Dean mo theagasg a Thrianaid, a Thighearna d' an teid an cebl, 
Ling air mo tlieangaidh a Thrianaid, beannaicli ann ad bhinne mhhir, 
A Thrianaid naoimh air na neamhaibh, neartaich m' arm naomh a nis, 
Ling agus codail a'm chridhe, a chinn phobuill neimh an nois, 
Stiuir mo Ikmh, teagaisg mo chridhe, teagaisg mo rosg, righ nan 'sgeul, 
Ling air mo ghuth, gluais a'm theangaidh, sguth ri m chluais, beannaich mo 
So am beul leadradh leibh, chaisgeas cath, chuimhn 'eas gach ni, [bheul, 
So an teangaidh nach tearc labhradh, beannaich a sheirce m 'anamain. 
Ort a Thrianaid, och ! a Thrianaid, toir mo leigheas, labhair rium, 
A ta amhail gheal chrann daraich, cridhe peacach salach an sunn. 
Ge h-olc mi nior mhilleas daoine, ni dheanadh mearla, 'Mhic Dhd, 
Mo lamh noch char leadar duine, freagair air ghrkdh Mhuire mi. 
Fior gun deanainnse dion breige, air bhreug eile amhra gorm, 
Ni dhe 'n bhreug air bhreug eile, a righ an teid air orm \ 
Thusa a thug eile annam, ni h-eucoir dhomhsa dhol rdidh, 
Noch cha lamh ionraic no uasal, thiodhlaic dion dhomhsa ach Dia. 
Ni duine air thalmhainn do 'm theagasg, a Thighearna ach thusa fdin, 
Ni fear a ni rann ach Righ neimh, do ni h-amhail 's a chrd cheill. 
Ma 's e slighe fhior air a bheileam, gabhaidh e meud moid inn, 
Ma 's air a bhreug a taim a Thrianaid, leig air lathair an fhior roid fhinn. 
Nior chuireas crd na talamh tharam, ach tonn bhraigh, beag an fhearg, 
Nior chuireas ni eile do 'm fholach, a Righ ach teine gkireach dearg; 
Do dhealbhassa an taobh so, a Thrianaid, do thalamh 'us de theine bhi, 
Duine de theine 'us thalmhainn, fuine gheibhear amhlaidh e. 



Ge beag a chul chronanach, ni 'n teid aon ghath grdine, 
Gun fhios do 'n righ mhoralach 'n a rd fo bhil a sgdith. 
Ni tha sin do Mhac Cumhail, righ maith bhi sin na Fianna, 
Rachadas fir an domhain 'n a thigh uile gun iarraidh. 
Is truagh leam a sheanair 'us thu an deireadh d' aoise, 
Oha chothromach a bhreith sin bheir thu air mo righse. 



124 THE BOOK OF [ancient. 

Barr in chath layddir verri fenni ny fayni 

Na di hearnytli crawe is tow feyn lay cheill 

Bog sin a henor a ne an coyi'a holla 

Is far dea re hynlay na fayne errin oUa 

Ga taring mi layis is me derri meissi 

Phadrik na toythr ayhis er matliew clynni beiskni 

Ne hurrinn zwt aytliris ossin v'^ in reayne 

Ach natli innyn far mathis agis flathis mi lieyarni 

Di uiarra aggwm conane far mewlass ni fayni 

Ne legfe layd wnuill di chomis a cleyrri 

Na habbir sen a ossin is anmein di wrayrri 

Be fest gi fostynich is gawe lingit me ryilt 

Da wacca ni catha is ni braddiche grast 

Ne wee ane reid id ter ter ach moyir ni fayni 

Ossin v° ni flaa mest tanmyn a beitbjdl 

Na cwne ni cath cha nil ag asling sin seill 

Da glun ni gyir is meith ni sliealga 

Bar lat wee na warri na wea si chaythir noya 

Troyg sin a benor is meitbur ni schejga 

Faycbin gi bonnor za wil si cbaytbir noa 

Na babbir sin a pbadrik is fallow di wrayrri 

In deggow sin daynytb barr finn is no fayni 

Er a lawe y^ eweissni ne fallow mi wrarri 

Is farr angil din di banglew na finn is ni faynytb 

Da beanytb mir a weissith a gath zawrytb ni beymin 

Di zelin in demis ver tow er ayne errin 

Dimmyth di wor zail er catb di beill 

Ni warrin did eboytb lawytb ach how neiss a tenoiir 

Da marri mi zenissi ne estin di choyllane 

Is zoywo di hemoo in narrik di cboyrra 

Da mardeis sin ulli si goynith ra cheilli 

Ne wea mi holli Iwe re vii caithe ni fayni 

Vii fegthit urrit iirrit vil tuss zi cleyrrew 

Di buttideis sin ulli lay oskir na benyr 

Ta tou in der di beill a henor gin cheyll 

Scur a neiss id wreysrow is be fest zim YSiyv 

Da wacca in Iwcbt cogthoill a v'fin in alvin 

Ne raacba za gomor re muntir ni caythre noya 

Aggis ner low ir dynoyll nor beg most gow tawri 

Sanossil ni braythryth fane woory zi rynis 

Matbwm zwt a cleyi're di sgeul na bynnis. 

Innis down. 



I 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 125 

B' fhearr an cath laidir bheireadh Fionn na Feinn, 

No do Thighearn crkbhaidh 'us tu fhdin le ch^ile. 

Bochd sin a sheanair a ni an cbmhradh boile, 

Is fearr Dia re h-aon la no Feinn Eirinn uile, 

Ge teirce mo laithese 'us mi an deireadh m' aoise, 

Phadruig na toir aitheas air maitliibh Cloinne Baoisgne. 

Ni h-urrainn dhuit aitbris Ossiain Mbic an Kioghain, 

Acli nach ionann ar maithese 'us flaitheas mo Thighearna. 

Da marrainn agam Conan fear mi-bhlasd na Feinn, 

Ni leigeadh le d' mhuineal do cbomas a chleirich. 

Na h-abair sin a Ossiain 'us ainmeine do bhriatbran, 

Bi feasd gu foistinneach 'us gabh tbugad mo riagbailt. 

Da facadh na catba 'us na brataichean greasda, 

Ni bhi aon rud ann d' aire ach meogbair na Feinn. 

Oisiain, mliic na flath misd d' anamain a bicbeanta, 

Na cuimbne na catli cha-n eil aig aisling 's an t-saoghail. 

Da cluinnteadh na gadhair us meogbair na seilge, 

B' fhearr leat bbi 'n a gboire na bbi 's a chaitbir naoimbe. 

Truagb sin a sheanair is meogbair na seilge, 

Fa chionn gach onoir dba bbeil 's a cbaitbir naoimb. 

Na b-abair sin a Pbadruig, is falamb do bbriatbra, 

An deugaidb 's an deimbin, b' f bearr Fionn 's na Fianna. 

Air a laimb Mbic Baoisgne, ni falamb mo bbriatbra, 

Is fearr aingeal de na b-ainglibh na Fionn 'us na Fianna. 

Da bitbinn mar a bbitbeas an catb Ghabbra nam beuman, 

Do dbiolainn an dimeas bbeir tu air Feinn Eirinn. 

Do imich do mbbrdbail air ckcb de d' sbaogbal, 

Ni marrainn de d' cbomblamhaich acb tbu nis a'd aonar. 

Da maireadb mo dbaoinese ni disdinn do gholan, 

'Us gheibbeadb tu do iompaidh an ^iric do cbbmbradb. 

Da mbairdeas sinn uile 's sinn coinneacbadb r' a cbdle, 

Ni bbi mo b-uile luaidh, ri seacbd catban na Feinn. 

Seacbd ficbead uiread uiread am bbeil tusa di cbleiricbibb 

Do tbuiteadas sin uile le Osgar 'n a aonar. 

Tha tbu an deireadb do shaogbail a sbeanair gun cbeill, 

Sguir a nis de'd bhriatbraibb 'us bi feasd do 'm i6ir. 

Da fhacadh an lucbd cocbaill a Mbic Fhinn an Almhuinn, 

Ni rachadh do cbomoradb muinntir na catbracb naoimbe, 

Agus nior lugba ar tionoil 'n uair tbigeamaid gu Tabhra. 

Is anuasail na briatbran fa 'n mbbr righ a rinneas, 

Maitbeam dbuit a cbldirich, do sgeul 'n a h-innis. 

Innis duinn. 



126 THE BOOK OF [axciext. 



EoNE makpliadrik vec voylcliollum v'eoin doif vec eone v'gregor 
v'eone v'weillclioUum vec conquhy veg v'conquly a strwlee v'illelane 
v'ey urquhaych v'kennane vec alpen agis in kennan sen bee ardree albin 
gi day win an si norsin agis in teone soo an in tean dwn deyk von 
kennan so id dowirt me — agis dimcha deyroclycli m'dowle v'oyne 
reywycli di skreyve so a lowrow shenchyth nyn reig, agis roo zenyth 
anno d^^ millesimo quin'^^*^ duodecimo. 



MODERN.] THE DEAN OF LISMORE. 127 



EoiN Mac Phadruig, mliic Mhaoilclioluim, mhic Eoin duibh, mliic 
Eoin, mhic Grigoir, mhic Eoin, mhic Mhaolchohiim, mhic Dhunchaidh 
bhig, mhic Dhunchaidh a Sruileadh, mhic Ghillfhaolain, mhic Aoidh 
Urchaidh, mhic Ooinnich, mhic Alpain ; agus an Coinneach sin b'e ard- 
righ Albain gii deimhin 's an uair sin ; agus an t-Eoin so an t-aon 
duine deug o'n Choinneach so a dubhairt mi. — Agus Dunchadh daor- 
oglach Mac Dhughaill, mhic Eoin Riabhaich, do sgriobh so i leabhraibh 
seanachaidh nan righ ; agus ro dheanadh Anno Domini Millesimo 
Quingentesimo duodecimo. 



NOTE BY TRANSLATOR 



The Dean's ms, was put into the hands of the present trans- 
lator a few years ago by Mr. Cosmo Innes, with a view to a 
correct account being given of its contents. After a consider- 
able time spent on deciphering the difficult handwriting, and 
resolving the strange and irregular orthography, he gave a fuller 
account of it than had been given before, in a paper read before 
the Society of Scottish Antiquaries. He was aware that a 
transcript of the MS. had been made by a Gaelic scholar of the 
highest reputation, the late Mr. M'Lachlan of Aberdeen ; but 
that transcript was altogether unknown save by one or two 
individuals, and was at the time thought to be lost. In Decem- 
ber 1860, the publishers proposed to the writer that he should 
undertake transcribing and translating the MS. with notes, 
Mr. Skene undertaking to write a historical introduction, with 
additional notes. There was good reason for reluctance in 
undertaking such a work. There was immense difficulty in 
the task itself, consisting very much in an exercise of in- 
genuity, the results to be tested by comparison, in guessing 
the meaning of words phonetically spelled ; there was the 
labour of writing the same thing in three different forms ; 
and there was in all this large demands upon time otherwise 
engrossed by the duties of a profession, whose calls the keep- 
ing of a good conscience, and duty to a Divine Master, would 
not admit of being neglected or postponed. The work itself, 



L 



130 NOTE BY TRANSLATOR. 



H 



liowever, was very congenial, as contributing somewhat to 
tlie literature of tlie Celtic countrymen of the writer, the 
literature of a period, too, of which few other literary remains 
of theirs exist. He therefore undertook to devote his spare 
hours for a season to the work, which is now laid before the 
public. 

The difficulties did not become less than was anticipated 
when they came to be practically dealt with. There was first the 
transcription of the original. A facsimile specimen of the writing 
is given in this volume, from which some idea may be formed 
of its character. The handwriting is the current English hand 
of the fifteenth century, with a few additional peculiarities 
borrowed from the Gaelic writing of the same period, as 
practised both in Scotland and Ireland. As is common in 
the writing of the period, the same sign is used both for c and 
t There is often no distinction between o and e, u and n, or / 
and s ; and in the hurry of writing the Dean often wrote m for 
n, and vice versa ; and the letter z stands for all the sounds 
resembling the consonant y. Besides, there are numerous con- 
tractions, the same sisn beinfij often used for in, im, and ir, and 
the Irish dot (') is often used as a substitute for Ji. The MS. is 
in many places much decayed, and the writing in consequence f 
much obscured, while the orthography is by no means quite I 
regular. The transcript has, however, been carefully made from 
the original, and compared again in proof, and the reader, with 
the allowance necessary in the circumstances already described, 
may feel assured that in the original, as printed, he has a correct 
copy of the Dean's work. 

The work, however, was not beyond the threshold when the 
transcription was complete. It was in interpreting the Dean's 
phonetic Gaelic, so as to form the modern Gaelic edition, that 
the chief difficulty arose ; and here the translator was left alto- 
gether without guide to lead the way, except in the case of a few 



NOTE BY TEANSLATOE. 13 1 

of the Ossianic poems. There were three peculiar difficulties to 
be encountered here, — first, the frequent occurrence of obsolete 
words, — words not to be found in any dictionary of the Scottish 
Gaelic, — and the meaning of which could only be learned from 
some acquaintance with the ancient MS. writings of Scottish 
and Irish scribes ; secondly, there was the introduction into the 
Dean's grammar of the Irish eclipsis, turning in his orthography 
/ into w, c into g, h into m, and d into n, without any hyphen ; and 
there was, last of all, the accentuation, which, in a number of 
the pieces, lays the emphasis on the latter syllable of dissyllabic 
words, and thus alters to a Scotch reader the whole rhythm of 
the lines. Many of these pieces will not read as poetry at aU, 
unless read in accordance with the Irish method of accentua- 
tion. It was known to all acquainted with early Gaelic litera- 
ture, how much there was that was common to the literature of 
Scotland and Ireland. This miscellany fully establishes the 
fact, while it also shows that, in the fifteenth century, Scottish 
Gaelic, as exemplified in some of these compositions, especially 
those of Finlay M'Nab, had its own distinctive features. There 
is nothing more interesting than the weight given in the allu- 
sions in these poems to the existence and influence of the Bardic 
schools at the period, and the large prizes usually conferred by 
the wealthy on successful poets. 

The translation into English was, upon the whole, a less 
arduous process than the previous one. It might have been 
otherwise had the attempt been made to translate into English 
poetry. This, however, has been carefully avoided. The ren- 
dering has been made so literal as that the meaning of every 
sentence in Gaelic is conveyed in English, so far as the editor 
has been able to do it ; and the translation is merely somevfhat 
lightened, and the reading made more agreeable, by having the 
baldness of mere literality removed, and the lines made some - 
what smooth and flowinf;^. 



132 NOTE BY TRANSLATOR. 

In some cases the spelling and handwriting together have so 
obscured the words, that the editor has been quite unable to 
give anything like a satisfactory rendering ; hence there will be 
fou.nd, in a very few instances, what are apparently different 
words in the original and modern version. Some instances will 
also be found of words written in the modern version according 
to the analogy of the Dean's orthography, wlnle the precise 
word intended has not been identified. The editor has only to 
say regarding these and any other cases of doubtful rendering, 
w^hich in such a work must be numerous, that he will be happy 
to receive through the publishers any suggestions from Gaelic 
scholars which may help to secure greater accuracy. 

It is only necessary to say farther, that in extending the 
modern Gaelic version of these poems, it was perfectly im- 
possible to exclude aU the older forms of the language. In 
many places to do so would have been to destroy the whole 
poetical structure of the composition. It was essential to retain 
the "da," if, the " fa," on, or under ^ and the "co" or "go," with, 
besides numerous forms of the verb, which it is the practice now 
to call Irish, but which were common at an early period to the 
literature of both countries. It was perfectly impossible, with 
anything like justice to these compositions, to bring them 
into exact conformity with the rules of modern Scottish Gaelic. 

The present volume contains every line of Ossianic or Fenian 
poetry in the Dean's MS. It also contains every composition 
having reference to Scotland, with the exce2)tion of five ; two of 
these being so much defaced, and so many of the words obscured 
by time and exposure, that it is impossible to give anything 
like an accurate version of them. The other three are eulogies 
on the clan Gregor chiefs, so much of a piece with those already 
given, that they would not contribute to the literary value of 
the work. The purely Irish poems of the O'Huggins, the 
O'Dalys, etc., are not given in this work, whose object is to 



NOTE BY TRANSLATOR. i33 



l^^ „, 

^Rt an early period. A few specimens, such as the laments of 
Gormlay, wife of Mai Glundubh, and daughter of Flann Sionna, 
Queen of Ireland, have been transcribed as specimens, which 
may be not uninteresting either to the Scottish or Irish reader. 
The Irish compositions are, with few exceptions, of a religious 
character. 



T. M'L. 



Edinburgh, December 1861. 



In a note at p. 43, it is said that an edition of the poem 
by Allan M'Eory, there translated, would be given at the 
close of the work, as taken down from the recitation of an old 
woman, Christina Sutherland, in Caithness, in the year 1854. 
It is now given, but without a translation, which is not 
thought necessary. 

DUAN CATHA GHABHEA. 

Is trom an noclid mo chiimha fdin, guilgeantach mo rian, 
Smuaineachadh a chatha chruaidh, chuir mise 'us Cairbar claon-ruadh. 
A mhic 's a Chormaig shuinn, is mairg sin f liuaireadh fo a laimli, 
Laoch gim glirain cha do chuir, ann a dlia laimli iutliaidh. 
Labhairidh Baranta gu prap, cuimhnicli Mucanais, cuimlmich fathasd, 
Cuimhnich 'ur sinnsreadh, 's 'ur linn, cuimhnich na cisean bhitheadh 

cruaidh, 
Bha aca an Eirinn ri'r linn, gu 'n blii ag iocadh do Mhac Cumhail. 
Gu 'm bf hearr tuiteam air a mhagh, sinn 'us an Fheinn le ch^ile, 
No bhi air barr a mhaigh, bhi an Fheinn air a mhbr thir. 
Chuir sinn ar comhairle chruaidh, sinn 'us an Fheinn ri aon uair, 
Feuchainn an cuireadh gach hg aghach, ceangal air . . . 
An oidhche sin duinn gu 15, eadar mhnathan Fhiann 's na Feinn og ol, 
An la sin gu 'm bitheamaid muigh, 'g oillt air Chairbar 'na liath-theach. 



134 NOTE BY TRANSLATOR. 

Chuir sinn sin Cath Ghabhra, 'us chuir gii fuathach, fuileach, feargach, 

Thuit an Fheinn bonn ri bonn, 'ns feara uasal Eirinn. 

Deich fichead agus ficliead ceud, sgeul fior, ni abraim breug, 

Gun robli sinte an la sin, air a mhagli gun anamain, 

Dha uiread eile 'us sin bha ann, aig righ Eirinn, sgeul bu mho, 

Gun robh sinte air an taobh eile, de uaislibli Eirinn airm-gbloin. 

Chuir sinn ar teachdair saor, gu Fathacanain mac a Choin, 

Rachad an teachdair o ar cinn, gu ard thulach Eirinn. 

Ciod 6 sin a phlbdh a bhuail oirbh, ars' an righ le meud a thoirm, 

Is e mheud 's a bha annaibhse d'an uabhar, sin a mhill na fir eile, 

Ach innis duinn Oisiain fheile, 'n uair chuir thu gach iorghuill treun. 

An d'f huair thu do mhac anns a chath, no an d'rug air 'ard labhradh. 

Thainig mi an deigh cur an Mr, os cionn mo mhic Osgair high, 

Gun d'fhuair mise a sgiath ri lllr, 's 's a lann 'n a dheas laimh ; 

Chuir mi bonn mo shleagh ri Ikr, 'us rinn mi os a chionn tkmh, 

Phadruig, smuainich mise an sin, ciod a dheanainn ri mo shaoghal ; 

Gum b'e freagairt mo mhicse Mn, 'n uair bha e an deireadh anamain, 

" Fo ris na duilibh, thusa a bhi lathair, athar." 

Ach nior their mise a ghh, freagairt cha robh agam dhb, 

Ach an d' thainig Caoilte cain, thugamsa dh' f heuchainn Osgair. 

'N uair dh' f heuch Caoilte gach cneadh air choir, f huair e gach aou ni o 

dhbigh, 
Fhuair e 'chorp creuchdach, glan, air a sgaradh le geur shleaghan ; 
Sleagh chrithinu a Chairbair ruaidh, an innibh Osgair, mo thruaighe ! 
Bha lamh Chaoilte gu uileann deas, ann an kite na sleagha, 
Lend na coise bhkn air 'fliolt, cha robh sin slkn 'n a chorp, 
Ach an ruigeadh e 'bhonn Ikr, ach 'eudan 'n a h-aonar. 
Mar bhuinne aimhne bha a shnuagh, no sruth reothairt bha ro luath, 
Gun robh e 'cuir 'fhola dheth, 'am blaghaibh a luirich. 
Thog sinn an t-Osgar suas, chunnacas tochdair mu 'r coinnimh, 
Fionn mac Ciimhail is e treunmhor, 'us e 'g imeachd feadh an t-sloigh, 
Ag iarraidh mo chorpsa 's a chath, 'us corp Osgair an aird fhlatha, 
Corp Chaoilte nach tinn, deagh mhic a pheathair ionmhuinn. 
Chunnaic sinn nis Fionn, 'us e 'g imeachd feadh an t-sloigh, 
Thog sinn ar sleagha os ar cionn, 'us ruith sinn uile 'n a chomhdhail. 
Bheannaich sinn an sin do Fhionn, 'us cha d'fhreagair esan sinn, 
Ach ruith gu tulach nan treun, far am bith Osgar nan arm geur. 
'IST uair chunnaic an t-Osgar Fionn, 'us e tamuil os a chionn, 
Thog e air an aghaidli aluinn, 'us bheannaich e d'a sheauair, 
Beagan bu mhiosa thu na sin, an la Chab-an-eudaiun, 
Chiteadh na neoil troimh do shlios, 'us dh'fheudar do leigheas, 
Rachad na coirean air luathainn, troimh do cholainn chraobh uallaich, 
D'f huaigheal dh' iarr thu le goid, nach d'rinueas aii' laoch romhad. 



NOTE BY TEANSLATOR. 135 

Mo leiglieas cha-11 'eil aig fail, noclia-11 fhaighear e gii brkth, 
Tuilleadh cha-n 'eil agaibh do 'in tlioirbheirt, ach an t-sreangsa do 'm ard 

labhradh, 
Sleadh Charbair chrMh mo chridhe 's gur i sgar mi mo cliairdibli, 
Chuir e sleadh nan naoi slinn, eadar m'imleag 'us m'airnean, 
Mo thruaighe sin ! Osgair fhdile, 's a dheagh mliic mo mliicse fein, 
Bha sgaradh na sleagh do dhruim, 'n am togail cis shliochd mhbr 

Chiiinn, 
D'eisdeachd ri briathraibh Fliinn, an ainm an Osgair dhuinn, 
Shin e uaitli a dlia laimh, 'us dhun e an rosg bha ro mhall. 
Thionndadh Fionn ruinn a chiil, 'us shil a dheura gu dlii ; 
An taobh muigh de Osgar 'us de Bhran, gun chaoineadh air neach bh'air 

thalamh. 
Cha chaoineadh duine a mhac fdin, 's cha chaoineadh e brathair 'n a 

dh^igh, 
Bha sinn mar sin uile, 's gach neach a caoineadh Osgair. 
A mhain ach mi Mn 'us Fionn, cha robh aon neach os a chionn, 
Nach tug tri glaodhan mu'n uaigh, chuir clos air Eirinn ri aon uair. 
D'disdeachd ri beucaich nam fear, 'us sgreadail nan comh-mhilidh, 
Ri faicinn an oig-f hir threin, 'us e 'n a luidh 'n a bhaoth-neul, 
Ge b'e righ thigeadh an sin, gheibheadh e foide gun aoidh, 
€run fhuathach, gun umhladh, gun dail, gun achmhasan, gun iomadan. 
O'n la chuir mi cath Ghabhra, gu dearbh mi gun trom labhradh, 
'Us oidhche clia robh mi no lo, gun osnadh bha gu lionmhor. 

T. M'L. 



I 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 



{Introduction, p. xv.) 
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IRISH AND SCOTCH GAELIC. 

Dr. O'Donovan, in his Irish Grammar, gives a statement of 
these differences, which is somewhat meagre. He appears, how- 
ever, to have had little knowledge of Scotch Gaelic, except what 
he gathered from Stewart's Grammar ; and this statement of the 
differences between the two dialects is taken almost verhatim 
from a prior statement of them by P. M'Eligott, in the Trans- 
actions of the Gaelic Society, published in 1808, p. 15. 

Dr. O'Donovan, in his account of grammars previously pub- 
lished, gives Stewart very just praise for the excellence of his 
Grammar; but throughout his own work he never loses an 
opportunity of carping at him, and is especially indignant at 
him for daring to state that the Scotch Gaelic wants the present 
tense of the verb, and very disingenuously quotes Shaw's Gram- 
mar as a superior authority. He likewise attacks Stewart for 
not producing ancient mss. to prove it, and for not seeing that 
the present tense is used by Bishop Carsewell, in 1564. Stew- 
art, however, was not undertaking a grammar of the ancient 
Scotch Gaelic, but of the dialect then spoken by the people ; 
and most unquestionably, in the spoken dialect of Stewart's 
time, the present tense was not used. Dr. O'Donovan denies 
this fact, and even charges Stewart with dishonesty. His theory 
is, " that Stewart was induced to reject this tense, in order to 
establish a striking point of resemblance between the Erse and 
the Hebrew, which the Irish, supposed to be the mother tongue, 
had not," — a most unworthy insinuation, and most unphiloso- 
phical, for O'Donovan ought to have known that the changes 



138 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 

which take place in the structure of spoken languages proceed 
from organic laws which cannot be influenced or directed by 
grammarians. The will of any single man is powerless to alter 
the minutest particle in the language ; and the fact that the 
inflected present tense is not used in Scotch Gaelic, is evident 
to any one acquainted with the language, or who has come in 
contact with those who speak it. 

Dr. O'Donovan also finds fault with Stewart for expressing 
an opinion that, " as the Erse dialect has not the inflections in 
the termination of its verbs, which characterize the Irish, it is 
therefore more original than the Irish." This is, no doubt, an 
erroneous view; and O'Donovan correctly states "that the mode 
of inflection, by varying the termmation, is more ancient than 
the use of particles ;" but he might have recollected that the 
contrary opinion was very generally held when Stewart wrote ; 
that the sounder principles of philology, in this respect, were 
not known or understood till after the publication of his Gram- 
mar; and that he could not, with any candour, impute it to him 
as a fault that he had not anticipated the conclusions of a 
science which had, so to speak, been created subsequently to 
his time. That the same peculiarities existed in the language in 
the last century, is proved by the fact that the Gaelic colonists 
in Canada, who have been separated from the mother country 
since that period, speak a form of Scotch Gaelic precisely simi- 
lar to that now spoken in the Highlands, and possessing aU 
those dialectic peculiarities which distinguish it from Irish. 
Although the present tense of the verb is usually expressed 
by the auxiliary, the Highlanders also use the future tense to 
express the present. 

The leading differences between Irish and Scotch Gaelic may 
be stated generally as follows : — 

SOUNDS OF THE LANGUAGE. 

1. The initial consonants are not affected to the same extent 
as in Irish and Welsh ; and in pure Scotch Gaelic the eclipsis 
is unknown, except in the case of the letter 8. 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 



139 



The following table will show their relative position in this 
respect : — 

TABLE SHOWING THE CHANGE IN THE INITIAL CONSONANT IN 
WELSH, lEISH, AND SCOTCH GAELIC. 







Welsh. 




laisH. 1 


Scotch Gaelic. 


Initial 
Consonants. 














Eclipsis. 


Aspiration. 


Nasal. 


Eclipsis. 


Aspiration. 


Eclipsis. 


Aspiration. 


P 


B 


Ph 


Mh 


B 


Ph 




Ph 


c 


G 


Ch 


Ngh 


G 


Cli 




Ch 


T 


D 


Th 


Nh 


D 


Th 




Th 


B 


M 


Bh or F 




M 


Bh 




Bh 


G 


NG 






NG 


Gil 




Gh 


D 


N 


Dd or Dh 




N 


Dh 


1 


Dh 


LI 




L 






L 




L 


M 




Mh or F 






Mh 




Mh 


PJi 




R 






R 




R 


F 








Bh 


Fh 




Fh 


S 








T 


Sh 


T 


Sh 



2. In Irish, words beginning with A may take the digamma 
F, as aill, faill, a rock ; ata, fata, a plain ; iolair, fiolair, an 
eagle, etc. The digamma never appears in Scotch Gaelic. 

3. The vowel sounds and U in Irish, pass into A in Scotch 
Gaelic ; as, oir, Ir., air, Sc. G. ; og, Ir., ag, Sc. G. ; ugadh, Ir., 
achadh, Sc. G. ; chuaidli, Ir., cJiaidh, Sc. G. 

4. The vowel at the end of nouns in Irish, is dropped in 
Scotch Gaelic ; as, tigherna, Ir., tigluarn, Sc. G. 

5. In the consonants the older form is often retained in Scotch 
Gaelic ; thus, the initial S in Irish, is often D in Scotch Gaelic, 
which is the older form, as suil, Ir., duil, Sc. G., — hope. 8 is 
sometimes changed to P, as siuthar, Ir., piathar, Sc. G, — sister. 



140 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 

6. The accentuation in Scotch Gaelic in dissyllables is on 
the first syllable ; in Irish, on the last. 

Geammar. 

1. Article. 

The genitive plural before a labial is nam. 

2. Noun. 

The nominative plural frequently ends like Welsh and Manx 

in an ; as, Slatan, rods ; Maithean, chiefs. 

3. Verbs. 

The analytic form is alone used, there being no inflections 
for persons or numbers. 

The Irish present is used as the future, and there is no present 
tense.^ 

The past-participle is invariably te hard, and is not varied as 
in IrisL 

There are no consuetudinary tenses. 

4. Adverb. 
The negative is Cha, instead of Wi, in Irish. 

Vocabulary. 

There is a considerable difference in the vocabulary words 
being now used in Irish, which are unknown in Scotch Gaelic, 
and vice versa, and a comparison of the lists of idiomatic 
phrases in Irish or Scotch Gaelic shows a very great difference 
in the mode of expressing famihar phrases.^ 

^ In the old form of the verb, in Ger- ought to be retained, but justice to an 

man, the present tense exercised like- equally able Scotch grammarian seemed 

wise the function of the future. to require them ; and he may be allowed 

this op]Dortunity of expressing his sincere 

2 Since this note was written, the admiration of the great learning and 

writer has learned with great regret of knowledge of that distinguished Irish 

the death of Dr. O'Donovan, and hesi- scholar, and his sense of the loss which 

tated whether these strictures on some Celtic philology has sustained by his 

opinions in his able Irish Grammar lamented death. 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 141 

{Introduction, p. Ixxxiv.) 

The Welsh poem alluded to is contained in the Welsh 
Archseology, vol. i. p. 168. The text is, however, very corrupt. 
It has been translated by Mr. Stephen in the Archceologia 
Camhrensis, new Series, vol. ii. p. 150, who did not, however, 
see its real character, and very strangely supposes it to refer to 
the actions of Cuichelm, one of the West Saxon kings, who died 
in 636, and whom he identifies with the Chocholyn of the 
poem, while of Corroi, son of Dairy, he can give no account. 

The poem is in reality an Ossianic poem referring to the 
death of Curoi, son of Daire, by CuchuUin, the celebrated 
Fenian hero of Ulster. 

Keating gives the following account of the death of Curoi : — 
" The heroes of the red branch united to plunder an island near 
Alban, called Manann, where there was a great quantity of gold, 
silver, jewels, and many other valuable articles, and a lovely 
marriageable young lady, who surpassed all the women of her 
time in exquisite figure and beauty, the daughter of the governor 
of the island, and her name was Blanaid. When Curigh was 
informed that the heroes were setting out on this expedition, he 
transformed himself by magic into a disguised shape, and joined 
the party ; but when they were on the point of plundering the 
island, disguised like jugglers, they judged that there would be 
great difficulty in taking the fortress in the island, in which 
were secured Blanaid and the valuable treasures of the whole 
island, on account of its strength and the number of men who 
defended it. Then Curigh, who was attired in a coarse grey 
habit, engaged, if he were to get his choice of the treasures, that 
he would himself take possession of the fort. Cuchullin pro- 
mises this, and immediately they attacked the castle with the 
man in the grey habit at their head, who stopped the motion of 
an enchanted wheel that was placed at the castle gate, and let 
in all the troops, by whom the fortress was sacked, and Blanaid 
and all the treasure borne away. They then set out for Ireland, 
and arrived at Evan ; and on dividing the treasure, the man in 
the grey habit demands his choice of the jewels, as was promised 



142 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 

to him. ' Yon shall have it/ says CuchuUin. ' Well, then,' says 
he, ' Blanaid is the jewel I choose.' ' Take your choice of all 
the jewels except Blanaid alone/ replies Cnchullin. ' I will not 
exchange her/ says Cnrigh, and thereupon he seeks to carry her 
off by force ; and having surprised her unperceived, took her 
away concealed under an enchanted mask. When CuchuUin 
perceived that the lady was missing, he suspected that it was 
Curigh that stole her off, and pursued them directly to Munster, 
and overtook them at Sulchoid. The champions engage, and a 
brave and well-fought contest ensues ; but at length CuchuUin 
was overcome by Curigh, who tied him neck and heels, and left 
him shackled like a captive, after cutting off his hair with his 
sword, and then carried away Blanaid into the west of Mun- 
ster. Then, however, came up Laogh mac Eiain of Gabhra, and 
unbound CuchuUin, and they set out for the north of Ulster, 
where they resided near the peaks of Boirche for the space of 
a year, without appearing in the Council of Ulster, until Cuchul- 
lin's hair grew again ; and at the expiration of the year, happen- 
ing to be on the peaks of Boirche, he saw a great flight of birds 
coming on the sea to the north, and on their landing upon the 
shore, he pursues them, and by a feat called Taveim, kiUed one 
of them with his sling in every district he passed through, until 
the last of them feU at Sruv Bron, in the west of Munster. On 
his return from the west, he found Blanaid in solitude near the 
Finglass, in Kerry, where Cmigh had a palace at that time. A 
conversation ensued between them, in which she declared to him 
that there was not on the face of the earth a man she loved more, 
and entreated him to come near AUhallow-tide with an armed 
band, and carry her off with him by force ; and that he might 
the more easily accomplish his design, she would take cape that 
Curigh should, at that time, have but few soldiers or attend- 
ants. CuchuUin promises to come to her at the appointed time, 
and then takes his leave, and sets out for Ulster, and relates the 
adventure to Choncubar. 

In the meantime Blanaid told Curigh that he ought to erect 
a palace for himseff that should exceed all the royal palaces in 
the kingdom, and that he might do so by sending the Clanna 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 143 

Deaguid to gather and collect all the large upright stones in the 
kingdom to form this palace. Blanaid's reason for this was, 
that the Clanna Deagnid might be dispersed in distant parts of 
Ireland, far from Curigh, at the time that Cuchnllin should come 
to carry her off. Cuchullin, being informed that the Clanna 
Deaguid were scattered over the kingdom, sets out privately, 
and soon arrived at a wood near the seat of Curigh, and sends 
secretly to inform Blanaid of his arrival with a large body of 
troops along with him. She sends him word that she would 
steal Curigh's sword ; and then, as a sign of attack, that she 
would spill a large vessel of new milk that was in the house 
into the rivulet which flowed from the castle through the wood 
where CuchuUin was concealed. Having heard this, in a short 
time he perceived the stream white with the milk, when, sally- 
ing out, they forced into the palace, and slew Curigh, who was 
alone and unarmed, and took Blanaid away with them to Ulster." 

WELSH POEM. 

MARWNAD CORROI MAB DAIRY. 

Dy ffynhawn lydan dyleinw aches 
Dyddaw dyhepcyr dybris dybrys 
Marwnad Corroy am Cyffroes. 

Ordyviwr garw ei anwydeu 
A oedd mwy ei ddrwg nis mawr gigleu 
Mab Dairy dalei lyw ar for deheu 
Dathl oedd ei glod cyn noi adneu. 

Dy ffynbawn lydan deleinw nonneu 
Dyddaw dyhepcyr dybrys dybreu 
Marwnad Corroy genhyf inheu. 

Dy ffynhawn lydan dyleinw dyllyr 
Dy saeth dycliyrch draetb diwg dybyr 
G-wr a werescyn mawr ei faranrlies. 

{Line wanting^ 
A wedy mynaw myned trefydd 
A ant wy fires ffra wynyonydd 
Tra fu vuddugre vore ddugrawr 
Chwedleu amgwyddir o wir hyd law 
Cyfranc Corroy a Cbocholyn. 



144 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 

Lliaws eu terfysg am eu terfyn 
Tarddei pen amwern gwerin goadd fwjn 
Caer y su gulwydd ni gwydd ni gryii 
Gwyn ai fyd yr enaid ui harobryn. 



TRANSLATION. 

THE DEATH-SONG OF COEROY, SON OF DAIRY. 



Thy large fountain fills the river, 

Thy coming will make thy value of little worth, 

The death- song of Corroy agitates me. 



If the warrior will come, rough his temper. 
And his evil was greater than its renown was great. 
To seize the son of Dairy, lord of the Southern Sea. 
Celebrated was his praise before she was intrusted to him. 

in. 

Thy large fountain fills the stream. 

Thy coming will cause saddling without haste. 

The death-song of Corroi is with me now. 

IV. 

Thy large fountain fills the deep ; 

Thy arrows traverse the strand, not frowning or depressed. 

The warrior conquers, great his rank of soldiers, 

{Line wanting.) 
And after penetrating, enters the towns, 
And ... the pure stream was promptly whitened. 
Whilst the victorious one in the morning heaps carnage. 
Tales will be known to me from the sky to earth. 
Of the encounter of Corroi and Chocholyn. 
Numerous their tumults about their borders, 
Springs the chief o'er the surrounding mead of the somewhat 

gentle wood. 
A city there was, love — diffusing, not paling, not trembling. 
Happy is he whose soul is rewarded. 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 145 

The allusions in this poem are to Cuchullin's expedition to 
attack Curroi, to Blanaid's giving the signal by filling the stream 
with milk from a large vessel, and to the encounter between 
Curroi and Cuchullin, in which the former fell. 

It may not be out of place to insert here a few stanzas of an 
old Manx historical poem, written between 1504 and 1522, to 
show the relation of the Manx orthography to the Welsh and 
to that of the Dean of the same age. 

I. 

Dy neaishtagh shin aghrish my skeayll 
As dy ving Ihielu ayns my chant 
Myr share dy voddyras lesh my veeal, 
Yinnin diu geill da 'n Elian Sheeant. 

II. 
Quoi yn chied er ec row rieaii ee 

Ny kys eisht myr haghyr da 

Ny kys hug Parick ayns Creestiaght 

Ny kys myr haink ee gys Stanlaa. 

III. 
Manannan beg va Mac y Leirr, 
Shen yn chied er ec row rieau ee, 
Agh myr share oddyms cm- my ner, 
Cea row eh hene agh an chreestee. 

^TRANSLATION. 
If you would listen to my story, 
I will pronounce my chant 
As best I can. I will with my mouth 
G-ive you notice of the Holy Island ; 
Who he was that had it first, 
And then what happened to him ; 
And how Patrick brought in Christianity, 
And how it came to Stanley. 
Manannan beg was son of Leirr, 
He was the first that ever had it ; 
But as I can best conceive. 
He himself was not a Christian. 
10 



146 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 

Poems, p. 3. 
Tliis poem has a strong resemblance in its character and 
sentiment to the oldest poems in the Cymmrian dialect. 

The oldest known poem in this dialect which has been 
preserved in its original orthography is a short poem of 
three stanzas, written in the Irish character in a parchment 
MS. at Cambridge, containing a paraphrase of the Gospels by 
Invencus, a Latin poet. The writing of this MS. is anterior to 
the year 700. 

The poem is as follows : — 

I. 
Ni guorcosam nemheunaur henoid, 
Mi telu nit gurmaur. 
Mi am franc dam an calaur. 

II. 
Ni canu ni guardam ni cusam henoid, 
Cet iben med nouel 
Mi am franc dam an patel. 

III. 
Na mereit im nepleguenit henoid 
Is diszui' mi coueidid 
Donn am riceur im guetid. 
It is the song of a warrior mourning his fate and his soli- 
tude, and may be thus translated : — 

Neither repose nor sleep for me this night, 
My house is no longer great. 
For me and my servant no caldron more, 
No songs, no smiles, no kisses this night, 
As when I drank the fortifying mead. 
For me and my servant no goblet more, 
No longer joy for me this night. 
My supporter is discouraged ; 
No one aids me in my distress. 

The Irish character, in which this poem is written, is of the 
eighth century, and Villemarque has remarked upon its re- 
semblance in sentiment and character to a poem of Llywarch 
Hen, a Cumbrian bard of the sixth or seventh century, whose 



.ADDITIONAL NOTES. 



147 



poems are universally admitted to be genuine, tlie orthography 
of which is much more modern. The poem is in triplets, the 
first line also ending with " heno/' and a single stanza or two 
will show the resemblance : — 

Y stafel Kyndjlan nis esmwyth-heno 

Ar benn karec Hydwyth 

Heb ner, Heb nifer, Heb ammwyth. 

Istafel kyndylan ys tywyll— heno 
Heb dan, Heb gerddau 
Dygystudd deurudd dagrau. 

The following are a few of the verses : — 

The hall of Kyndylan is not joyous this night, 

On the top of the rock of Hydwyth, 

Without its lord, without company, without feasts. 

The hall of Kyndylan is gloomy this night, 

Without fire, without songs. 

Tears afflict the cheeks. 

The poem, attributed to Ossian in the Dean's MS., is of the 
same character : — 

Long are the clouds this night above me ; 
The last was a long night to me. 
This day, although I find it long, 
Yesterday was longer still. 

Long are the clouds this night above me. 

No rising up to noble feats ; 

No mirthful sport as we would wish. 

No swimming heroes on our lakes. 

Long are the clouds this night above me, etc. 

Poem, p. 4. 
This is a well-known poem, termed Sliabh nam ban Fionn. 
A copy almost identic with this is published by the Ossianic 
Society of Dublin in their sixth volume, and a comparison of 
the first stanza with that of the Dean will show the relation the 
orthography of it bears to his : — 



1^8 ADDn^IONAL NOTES. 

DEAX. 
La zay deacha Unn mo rayth 
Di helg er sleyve ny ban finn 
Tri meillith wathyon ny wayn 
Ne zeaath skaow vass in ginn. 

IKISH. 
La da u-deachaidh Fionn ua blitiann 
Do sheilg ar shliabh na m-ban fionn 
Tri mhile do mhaithibli na blifiann 
Sul n-deachaidh grian os ar g-cionu. 

It will be observed that tlie Irish eclipsis is only partially 
recognised by tlie Dean. 

There is a copy of this poem in Kennedy's Collection, p. 29. 

The number of verses is the same, but some variation occurs 
in the reading of several of them. 

Dr. Smith remarks, in the Highland Society's Keport, that an 
edition of this poem, under the title of La mor Seilg na Feinne, 
occurs in the oral recitations communicated by tlie Eev. Francis 
Stewart of Craignish, and another was written from memory by 
Archibald M'Callum. 

Focni, p. 20. 

The King of Sorcha is here opposed to the daughter of the 
King of the Tir fo thuinn, or land beneath the waves ; and in 
this respect it resembles the Welsh poems, where the King of 
Annwn and his daughter play so great a part. 

Sorcha is light, in opposition to Dorcha, dark ; and there 
seems to be a poetic contrast between the kingdom of light and 
the kingdom under the waves. 

Historically the land under the waves was the low-lying 
coast of Holland and Germany, extending from the Ehine to 
the Elbe. 

Dr. Smith remarks that this poem differs little from Ken- 
nedy's and other oral editions in the possession of the Society. 

Poem, p. 26. 
There is an edition of this poem in one of M'Vurich's MSS. 
in the collection deposited in the Faculty Library. The Ian- 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 



149 



guage is more Irish than the Dean's. Tlie first verse may be 
given for the purpose of comparison : — 

DEAN. 
Sai la giiss in dei 
Oy nacli vaga mai finn 
Chanaka rem rai 
Sai boo yar lym. 

M'VURTCI-I. 
Se la gus an de 
Nach faca me fionn 
Ni f haca re mo re 
Se biidh faide leara. 

It will be observed that the Dean rises the Scotch negative 
Glut, while M'Vurich has the Irish Ni. 

Poem, p. 30. 

Dr. Smith states that this poem corresponds in a great 
measure with one taken down from oral recitation in Sutherland 
and another in Isla. 

Poems, p. 35 and p. 48. 

This poem is one of the editions of the Cath Gabhra, and, 
along with the poem by Feargus Filidh on the same subject, 
forms part of the long poem called Cath Gabhra, printed by 
the Ossianic Society of Dublin in their first volume. 

In this poem it is said — • 

Eastward we sent ambassadors, 

To Fafcha of Conn's great son, 
Or more literally — 

To Fatha, son of Maccon. 
The expression east or eastward always refers to Alba or Scot- 
land, in contradistinction to west, which was Sire, and the 
allusion here is to one of the mythic colonies from Ireland to 
Scotland. 

In addition to the historic colony of Dalriada in the sixth 
centmy, the Irish historians record four colonies in pre-historic 
times. 



150 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 

These were — 

1. Dalriads under Cairbre Eiada, in the third century. 

2. The Clanna Breogan, under the Fathads, sons of Lugad 

Mac Con, King of Ireland, in the third century, from whom 
the Campbells are said to be descended. 

3. Eremonians, under Colla Uais, King of Ireland, in the 

fourth century, from whom the McDonalds are said to be 
descended. 

4. Eberians, under Cairbre Cruithnechan and Maine Leamhna, 

sons of Core mac Lughadh, in the fourth century, from 
whom the Llaormers of Marr and Lennox are said to be 
descended. 

The second of these colonies, under Fatha Canann, is here 
connected with the legends of the Feinne. 

Dr. Smith states that this poem agrees, with some varia- 
tion in words and arrangement, with one transmitted by Mr. 
Maclagan from oral recital. 

The poem on the battle of Gabhra, attributed to Fergus, is 
obviously the older piece, and some of the stanzas are the same 
with those in the Irish poems. It also refers to the Feinne of 
Britain and of Lochlan. 

There is an edition of this poem in Kennedy's Collection, 
p. 148 ; and another, taken down from recitation, was communi- 
cated to the Highland Society by Mr. Malcolm M'Donald. 

The first stanza of this poem, with the corresponding stanza 
in the Irish poem, is given for the purpose of comparison : — 

DEAN. 
Innis donn a earris 
Ille feynni errin 
Kynis tarle zevin 
In gath zawrych ni beymin. 

lEISH. 
Innis diiinn a Oisin 
Ee h'anam Fhianna Eirionn 
Cia agaibh ba threise 
I g-cath Gabhra ua m-beimionn. 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 151 

It will be again observed that tlie cclipsis is only partially 
recognised. The Dean seems rarely to employ it in the genitive 
plural, where it is rigorously demanded by the rules of Irish 
grammar. 

Poem, p. 50. 

Dr. Smith remarks that this poem agrees very much with one 
got from Isla by recitation, and communicated to the Society 
by Eobert Campbell, Esq., Advocate. 

Poein, p. 54. 

Dr. Smith states that this poem, on the death of Fraoch, differs 
very little from Mr. Jerome Stone's edition, and still less from 
Mr. Gillies' Collection, page 107. 

Poem, p. 58. 

Dr. Smith remarks that this poem nearly agrees with one in 
Kennedy's Collection, p. 69. Some of the names are different, 
and the stanzas not all in the same order. 

The same poem appears, with a few lines more or less, and a 
slight variation of words and arrangement, in one of the MSS. 
deposited in the Faculty Library ; and two editions were com- 
municated to the Highland Society taken down from oral 
recitation, one from an old man in Isla, the other from Donald 
M'Callum in Kilcalmonell, in Kintyre. 

Poem, p. 72. 

The idea which forms the subject of this poem is common to 
the Gael and the Welsh. 

Poem hy Gilchrist Taylor, p. 93. 

This poem certainly refers to the taking of the murderers of 
James i., by Eobert Eeoch Duncanson of Strowan, and John 
Gorme Stewart of Garth. Eobert Eeoch bears on his seal two 
greyhounds, and on 15th August 1451 received a charter from 
James 11. of the barony of Strowan " pro zelo, favore et amore 
quos gerimus erga dictum Eobertum Duncanson pro captione 
iniquissimi proditoris quondam Eoberti de Graham." 



152 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 

John Gorme Stewart receives in the Exchequer Rolls a pay- 
ment " pro arrestatione Roberti Grahame traditoris et suoriim 
complicimn." 

Poem hy John of Knoydart, p. 99. 

In the Annals of Ulster there is the following notice of the 
murder of Angus Og, son of John, Lord of the Isles : — 

Aois Criost 1490, Mac mic Domnaill nah-Alpan, .i. Aengus, 
.i. nee da n-gairti an Tigerna Aacc do marbad a fill le ferted 
Erennac, i. Diarmidt h-ua Cairpri, 7 a n Inhernis do marbad 
h-e. That is, — Year of Christ 1490, Angus, son of Macdonald 
of Scotland, who was called the young Lord, was murdered by 
his Irish harper, Dermed O'Cairbre, and at Inverness he was 
slain. 

The Annals of Ulster are cotemporary authority for the event. 

Poem hy Finlay M'Fcth, p. 125. 

The Dougall, son of John, who is here reproached as a slug- 
gard, and exhorted to write in the Book of Poems, was no doubt 
the Dean's father, Dougall Johnson. It would appear from this 
that the taste for collecting Gaelic poetry was a family quality. 

The genealogical poems relating to the ^J'Gregors, M'Dougalls, 
and McDonalds, are curious, but it would be out of place to 
enter here upon the family history of these clans. 

W. F. S. 



INDEX. 



^KoTE.— The numerals refer to the Introduction ; the common figures to the English Translation : 
H| and the ancient figures to the corresponding Original Gaelic. 



INDEX. 



Achilles, 33 w. 

Adomnan, Ixxxi. 

Adonis, 33 w. 

Advocates' Library, Gaelic mss. in, vii., 

XXX vi. 
Aidh Finliath, 101 w. 
Aineach, 147, ii2, 113. 
Alba or Alban, xxv., Ixxv., 82, 60, 61. 
Albain, 8 n, 63, 44, 45, 65, 44, 45, 75, 54, 

55, 91, 66, 67, 96, 70, 71, 112, 84, 85, 
114, 86, 87, 149, 114, 115. 

Albanaich (Scottish Highlanders), xiii. 

Alexander 11., xxxiv., Ixxx. 

Alexander the Great, 110, 84, 85. 

Allan of Lorn, 119, 90, 91. 

Alleine's Alarm, Gaelic version of, xl. 

Allen, 8, 6, 7. 

Almhuin, 8 n, 81, 58, 59. 

Almond, 54 n, 84 n. 

Alve, 19, 124, 125, 72, 40, 41. 

Alvin, 36, 24, 25, 48, 32, 33, 78, 56, 57, 80, 

56, 57, 91, 66, 67. 

Alpin, 6, 6, 7, 40, 26, 27, 138, 106, 107. 

Angus, 72, 50, 51. 

Angus, Earl of Moray, xxx. 

Angus Og of Islay, 146 01, 148 n. 

Antrim family, xxxv. 

Anubis, 51 nf 

Aodh Ruadh, 20 w. 

Aoife, 59, 40, 41. 

Applecross, 22 n. 

Arcardan, Ixxxi. 

Ardchattan, 119 «, 122 n. 

Ardgour, Ixxxii. 

Ardnamurchan, 21 n. 

Argathelia, xxxii., xxxiv. 

Argyle, 43 w, 135, 104, 105, 148, 112, 113. 

Argyleshire, 54 w. 

Argyle, Archibald Earl of, 134 n, 135 w, 136, 

104, 105. 
Argyle, Cailean Mor, 137 n. 
Argyle, Colin Earl of, 127 w, 136, 104, 105. 
Argyle, Neil of, 137 n. 



Argyle, Sir Archibald of, 136, 104, 105. 

Argyle, Sir Colin of, 136, 104, 105. 

Argyle, Sir Colin of, 137, 104, 105. 

Argyle, Sir Duncan of, 136, 104, 105. 

Argyle, Sween of, 127 n. 

Arile, 132 n. 

Armstrong, E. A., xiii. 

Arcs, 132 w. 

Arpluinn, 6n, 8 n. 

Arran, xxiv. 

Art, 1, I, 2, 3 n, 15, 10, 11, 35 w, 36, 50, 34, 
35, 62, 42, 43, 65, 44, 45. 

Arthur, 139, 106, 107. 

Art O'Carby, 99 n. 

Athach, 55, 38, 39. 

Athole Stewarts, 95 n. 

Auchnacroftie, iv. 

Authenticity of Ossian's Poems, inquiry as 
to, vi., X., xlviii.-lxiii. 

Authors, names of, in the Lismore Collec- 
tion of Poems, xlvi., xlvii., xci.-xcvi. 

Badenoch, 107 n. 

Badhairn, Mac, 20 n. 

Bala, 11, 8, 9, 16, 12, 13, 78, 56, 57. 

Ballad poetry, its influence upon literature, 

xxx vii. 
Ballyshannon, 20 n. 
Balquhidder, 132, 100, loi. 
Banff, 37 n. 

Banners of the Feine, 79, 56, 57. 
Bannockburn, 7 n. 
Banva, 27, 18, 19, 36 n, 37, 24, 25, 50, 34, 

35, 88, 64, 65, 114, 86, 87, 119, 90, 91, 

135, 102, 103. 
Barbour, the Scottish Poet, Ixxix., 1. 
Bards of the Feinne, the three, Ixxix. 
Barra, 11%, 132, 100, loi. 
Barrin, 36. 

Baxter's Call, Gaelic version of, xl. 
Bayne, 16, 12, 13. 
Bealach, 115,86, 87. 
Beatons, physicians in Mull, xxxvi., 148 n. 



'56 



INDEX. 



Bede, xxvii., Ixxii. 

Bedel, William, xiii. 

Beudoran, a poem, xli. 

Ben Cruachan, 54 n, 84 n, 120 n. 

Ben Gulbin, Ixxxi., 30, 20, 21, 31, 32, 22 
23,95,70,71. 

Ben Hi, 30 ?z. 

Ben Lomond, 134 n. 

Ben Nevis, 31 n. 

Beth, 16, 12, 13. 

Bible, first Gaelic, published, xl.: standard 
edition of, xli. 

Blair, Dr., xlviii. 

Bleau, atlas of, xxiv. 

Bloody Bay, 99 n. 

Boisgue, 12, 8, 9, 14, 10, 11, 19, 12, 12, 41 
26,27,4371,84,62,63. 

Books, first printed, their influence on the 
language and literature of the HighLtiids 
xlii. " ' 

Book of Poems, 125, 94, 95. 
Boquhan, 143 n. 

Borrin, 11, 8, 9, 16, 12, 13, 78, 56, 57. 
Boyne, 127, 96, 97. 
Bran, 6, 4, 5, 15, 12, 13, 83, 60, 61. 
Brassil, 16, 12, 13. 
Breadalbane, 116??, 132, 100, loi. 
Breatan, Ixxv.-lxxvii. 
Bregia, 2Qn. 
Brian, 105, 78, 79. 
Bridge of Turk, 31 n. 
Britain, 21 n, 49, 34, 35. 
Britons, 139 n. 

Brooke, Miss, Iviii., Ixxvii., 22 », 26 ». 
Bruce, King Eobert, 1, 7 »?. 
Buadhamair, 63, 42, 43. 
Bun Datreor, 80, 58, 59. 
Burns, Eobert, xxxviii. 



Caoilte, 9, 6, 7, 15, 12, 13, 16, 17, 39, 24 
25' 48, 32, 33, 64, 44, 45, 65, 72, 50, 51 
p^?,'/^' 5^^53.77 56, 57,88,64,65. 
baoilte MacEonan, Ixiv., 62, 42, 43. 
Carn Vallar, 80, 58, 59, 142, 108, 109 



54, 55> 82, 



C^SAE, 11 n, 21 n, 32 71, 35 n. 

Cahir, 63 n. 

Cainle, Ixxxi. 

Cairbar, 10, 8, 9, 35, 24, 25, 36, 39, 26, 27, 

49, 34, 35, 59, 40, 41, 64, 44, 45. 
Cairn Fraoich, 54, 36, 37. 
Cairn Laimh, 54 n, 57, 38, 39. 
Caistealan na Feine, ii. 
Caithness, 42 n. 
Calliden, 60, 42, 43. 
Calphurnius, Ixxxix., 6 7i. 
Calvin, Catechism of, xxxix. 
Camerons, 132, icx), loi. 
Campbells of Glenurchy, iii., iv. 
Campbell, Mr. J. F., 11 ??. 
Campbell, Sir Duncan, 116 w. 
Caol, 84, 60, 61, 85, 62, 63. 



Carroll, 9, 6, 7, 17, 12, 13, 

60, 61. 
Cas a choin, 80, 58, 1:9 
Cashel, 100 w. 

Castle Sween, 126 n, 127 n, 151. 116, 117. 
Cath Finntragha, Ixxxii. 
Cathal Crodhearg, 157 n. 
Catheads, 80, 56, 57. 
Cattanachs, 132, 100, loi. 
Ceall, 78, 56, 57. 
Ceard, 85, 62, 63. 

Celts, 21 n, 22 71, 31 n, 32 », 34 72. 51 n. 85 n 
Cliesthill, pass of, i. 
Ciaran, St., 135 w. 
Clan Campbell, 31 7i, 87 n. 
Clan Donald, 96, 70, 71, 132, 100, loi. 
Clan Dougall, 121, 92, 93, 123, 132, 100 

lOI. 

Clan Gregor, 132, 100, loi, 141, 108, 109. 

Clan Lamond, 132, 100, loi. 

Clan Lauchlan, 132, icx), loi. 

Clan Leod, 132, 100, loi. 

Clan Eanald, 132, 100, loi, 157 «. 

Clann Deaghaidb, 50 n, 51, 34, 35. 

Clanna Breogan, Ixxii. 

Clergy from Northumberland introduced 

among the Cruithne of Scotland, xxvii. 
Clergy, Scottish, from lona, influence of, on 
the condition and language of the popu- 
lation, XXV., xxvi. 
Clonfert, Bishop of, Iviii. 
Clonmel, 4 71. 
Cnokandurd, 16, 12, 13. 
Cnucha, 89 ^^, 91 71. 
Colin, Earl of Ergile, 119??. 
Coll, 9,6, 7, 89,64, 65. 
Colleges of poetry and writing in Ireland, 

xxxvi., XXX vii. 
Colonsay, xxiv, 132, 100, loi. 
Columba, St., xxv., xxx., 37 n, 144. no in. 
Comyn, Michael, Ixii. ' 

Conall Gulbin, 30??. 

Conan, 16, 10, 11, 18, 124, 125, 71, 50 ci 

72, 81, 58, 59, 83, 60, 61, 85, 62, 63. ' 

Conlaoch, Ixxvii., Ixxxvi., 51, 34,35,53, 36 

37,89 71. 
Conn, 10, 8, 9, 35, 24, 25, 36, 101, 74, 75. 
121, 92, 93, 139, 106, 107, 141, 108, 109. 
Conn of the hundred battles, 121 «. 
Connal Cearnach M'Edirskeol, 58, 40 ai 
59, 61, 42, 43. ^ ' ^ ' 

Connal Ferry, 120, 92, 93, 123, 94, 95. 



INDEX. 



1.57 



^ 'Connaught, 12 n, 157 n. 

" Connor, 50, 34, 35, 52, 36, 37. 

Controversy, Ossianic, sketch of the, xlviii.- 
Ixiii. 

Conull Mac Scanlan, 98, 72, 73. 
• 'Core, 9, 6, 7. 

Cormac, 35, 24, 25, 62, 42, 43, 64, 44, 45, 
j 65, 130 w. _ 

ICowall, xxxii., xxxiv. 
Craignish, 133, 102, 103. 
Crinan, 153 w. 
Crithear, Conn, 10, 8, 9. 
Cromchin, 16, 12, 13. 
Cromgleann nan Clach, ii. 
Crom nan earn, 76, 54, 55. 
Cronwoyn, 78, 56, 57. 
Crooin, 15, 12, 13. 

Cruachan, 54, 36, 37, 120, 90, 91, 122, 92, 93. 
Cruinchan, 78, 56, 57. 
Cruith, 61, 42, 43. 
Cruithne, the race so called, xxiii., xxvi. ; 

the Scottish Cruithne become united to 

the Scots, xxvii. 
Cu, 51, 34, 35. 52, 53, 61, 42, 43, 90, 66, 67, 

130, 98, 99. 
Cuailgne, 14, 10, 11. 
Cuan, 139, 106, 107. 
Cuchullin, Ixxx., 51 w, 52, 36, 37, 53, 58, 

40, 41, 59 n, 88, 64, 65, 89 n, 110, 82, 

83, 130, 98, 99, 134, 102, 103. 
Cuilt, 60, 40, 41. 
Cuireach, 62 n. 
Cullin, 51 n, 60, 40, 41. 
Cumhal, 9, 6, 7, 14, 10, 11, 21, 14, 15, 29, 

18, 19, 48, 32, 33, 75, 52, 53, 81, 58, 59, 

87, 64, 65, 91, 66, 67, 133, 102, 103, 142, 

108, 109. 
Cunlad, 60, 40, 41. 
Curcheoil, 134, 102, 103. _ 
Curoi, death-song of, Ixxxiii. 

Daire, 86, 62, 63. 

Daire borb, 20 w, 22 n. 

Daire donn, Ixxxii., 7 n, 10, 8, 9, 11, 12. 

Daithein Dian, 78, 56, 57. 

Dalcassians, 50 w. 

Dah-iada, settlement of, among the Cruithne 
of Ulster, xxiii. ; settlement of the tribe 
of Dalriadic Scots in Argyle, etc., xxiv. ; 
Scotch and Irish, xxvi. 

Dai'thula, tale of, lix., Ixxxvii. 

David the First, xxx, 

Dearg, 70, 50, 51, 72 ?i. 

Deirdre, prose tale of, lix., Ix. 

Denmark, 135 n, 

Dermin, 9, 6, 7. 

Dervail, 143, 108, 109, 



Desmond, 105 n, 

Dewar, 7 n. 

Deyroclych (Daoroglach), vi., 161, 126, 127. 

Dialects of the Celtic languages, viii., xii. ; 
illustrated by English and its dialects, 
ix., X. ; affected by etymological and pho- 
netic influences, xviii.-xx. ; illustrated by 
English and German, xxi. ; variations in 
Irish dialect, xxv. 

Diarmad, 15, 10, 11, 30 n, 31 w, 33, 22, 23, 34, 
73,50,51,81, 58, 59,86,62,63. 

Diarmad O'Cairbre, 99, 72, 73. 

Dogheads, 80, 56, 57. 

Dollir, 11, 8, 9. 

Donald, Clan, 96, 70, 71. 

Donegal, 20 n, 101 n. 

Dougall, Clan ; see Clan Dougall. 

Dougall the Bald, ii,, iii., vi. 

Doveran, 9, 6, 7. 

Drealluinn, 21 w. 

Druid, 26 ?i. 

Druimfhionn, ii. 

Drum Cleive, 77, 54, 55. 

Drummond, Dr., lix. 

Dublin Gaelic Society, Iviii., Ix. 

Dublin Ossianic Society, Ix. 

Dumbartonshire, 93 n. 

Dunbreatan, Ixxv., Ixxxiv. 

Dun Dobhran, 77, 54, 55. 

Dun Keillin, 78, 56, 57. 

Dun Sween, 127, 96, 97. 

Dunanoir, 127, 96, 97. 

Duncan Carrach, 119, 90, 91. 

Duncan Mor, 93, 68, 69. 

Duncan Og Albanach, 155, 118, 119, 155 n. 

Duncan the Servitor, vi. 

Dundalgin, Ixxx., 51, 34, 35, 53, 36, 37, 88, 
64, 65. 

Dundeardhuil, Ixxxi. 

Dunollv, 108, 82, 84, 119 n, 122, 92, 93. 

Dunscaich, 51, 34, 35. 

Dunseivlin, 112, 84, 85, 

Dunvegan, 140 w. 

Dyrin, 9, 6, 7, 89, 64, 65. 

Dysart, 114%. 

Earl Gerald, 105, 78, 79. 

Earla, 132, 100, loi. 

Eassroy, Ixxxii. See Essaroy. 

Eigg, llOw. 

Eire, 77, 54, 55, 80, 56, 57. 

Elga, 36 n. 

Emania, the seat of the Cruthnian kingdom 

in Ireland, xxiii., 35 n. 
England, 8 w, 49 n, 75 n. 
Ere, 36 w. 
Eriu, 10, 8, 9, 12, 19, 124, 125, 37, 24, 25, 



158 



INDEX. 



49, 34, 35, 63, 42, 43, 65, 44, 45, 82, 60, 
61, 88, 64, 65, 92, 66, (i^, 105, 78, 79. 

Essaroy, 20, 14, 15, 32, 22, 23, 33 w, 80, 
58, 59- 

Etymology, influence of, on language, xviii. 

Evir, 58, 40, 41, 61, 42, 43, 89, 66, 67. 

Fail, 14, 10, 11, 36 w. 

Fainesoluis, 20 n. 
Fairhead, 57 n. 

Faolan, 78, 56, 57, 86, 62, 63. 
Fargon, 9, 6, 7. 
Fatha Canan, 87, 62, 63. 
Faycanan, 87 n. 
Fead, 15, 12, 13. 
Fearluth, 86, 62, 63. 

Feine, mentioned in the poems, 4, 4, 5, 7 n 
8, 6, 7, 9, 6, 7, 10, 8, 9, 12, 14, 10, 11,' 
15, 17, 12, 13, 18, 20, 14, 15, 26, 18, 19, 
28.31,33,22, 23,41, 26, 27,48,32,33, 
49, 34. 35, 82, 60, 61, 141 n. 
Feinne, the, who they were, and what their 
country and period, discussed, Ixiv.- 
Ixxviii. \ objections to the Irish account, 
Ixv.-lxxi. ; light afforded on these ques- 
tion s_ by the legendary tales and poems, 
Ixxiii.-lxxxii. 
Fergusson, Professor Adam, xlviii. 
Festivities of the House of Conau, tale of, 

Ixi. 
Foran, a celebrated scribe, Ixi. 
Fergus, 43, 28, 29, 48, 32, ^^^ 83, 60, 61, 

86, 62, 63, 139, 106, 107. 
Fertan, 11, 8, 9, 16, 12, 13. 
Fiach, 36 n. 

Fian, 5, 4, 5, 82, 60, 61. 
Fillan, 9, 6, 7, 17, 12, 13. 
Fillan, St., 8 n. 
Finan, 145, no, in. 
Finlay, the red-haired bard, 112, 84, 8c;, 

114, 86, 87, 143, no, n I. 
Finlochlans, xxxiii. 

Finn, 1, I, 2, 2, 4, 4, 5, 5, 8, 9, 6, 7, 14, 10 
n, 15, 16, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 14, 15, 22, 
23, 26, 18, 19, 28, 30, 20, 21, 31, 33, 22, 
23, 35 w, 37, 24, 25, 40, 26, 27, 41, 44, 
28, 29, 47, 32, ZZ^ 62, 44, 45, 71, 50, 51, 
77, 54, 55' 80, 58, 59, 81, 141, 108, 109. 
Finngalls, xxxii. 
Firdomnan, Ixxii. 
Fithich, 54, 36, 37, 56, 38, 39. 
Fitzgerald, Gerald, 105 n. 
Flann, 102. 
Flodden, 134 n. 
Fodla, 36. 

Fomorians, Ixxv., 135, 102, 103. 
Forgan, 51, 34, 35. 



Forna, 11, 8, 9. 

Fortingall (Fothergill), i. 

Fraoch, 54, 36, 37, 55, 38, 39, 56, 57, 58, 

40, 41. 
France, King of, 11, 8, 9. 

Gaelic orthography, viii. ; vocabularies and 
grammars, xiii., xiv. ; diiferences between 
Scotch and Irish dialects, xiv., xv. 
Gallie, Mr., Ivii. 
Galve, 15, 12, 13. 
Gal way, 89, 64, 65. 
GaiTy, 9, 6, 7, 15, 12, 13, 85, 62, (iT,, 91 w, 

96, 70, 71. 
Gaul, 9, 6, 7, 15, 10, n, 17, 12, 13, 20, 14, 
15, 23, 16, 17, 43, 28, 29, 45, 30, 31, 47, 
^ 32, 33, 77, 56, 57, 83, 60, 61. 
Gauls, 1 1 w. 
Gawra, 12, 8, 9, 18, 12, 13, 19, 124, 125, 

35 n, 37, 24, 37, 48, 32, ^Z- 
Gealcheann, 57 n. 
Giilaagamnan, xxxi.-xxxiii. 
Gillabride, xxxi.-xxxiii. 
Gilliecallum Mac an Oliave, 50, 34, 35 95 

70, 71, 148, n2, n3. 
Glassrananseir, 16, 12, 13. 
Glass, 16, 12, 13. 
Glenabaltan, 11, 8, 9. 
Glen a Cuaich, 77, 54, 55. 
Glen Dochart, 129 n. 
Glenelg, Ixxx. 
Glen Frenich, 76, 54, 55. 
Glengarry, 145, no, in. 
Glen Lochy, 129 n. 
Glen Lyon, i., 130, 98, 99. 
Glen Nevis, 31 n. 
Glenroy, Ixxxi. 

Glenshee, Ixxxi., 30, 20, 21, 31 n, 34. 
Glenstrae, 114 n, 128 w, 131, 100, loi, 

137 w. 
Glenstroil, 16, 12, 13. 
Glenurchy, 107 w, 114 w, 129 w, 141, 108, 

109, 155 n. 
Golnor, 134, 102, 103. 
Gormlay, 72, 50, 51, 118, 90, 91. 
Gormlay, daughter of Flann, 100, 74, 7c;, 
101. '^ 

Gorry, 71, 50, 51. 
Gow, 15, 12, 13. 
Gulbin, 31?^, 34 tz. 
Grahams of Balgowan, xlviii. 
Grainne, 34 w, 87, 64, 65, 88. 
Grammar of the Scotch Gaelic, xiv. 
Grant, 139, 106, 107. 
Grecian Gael, 129, 98, 99. 
Greece, 91, 66, 67, 102, 76, 77, 134. 102, 
103. 



INDEX. 



159 



Greece, King of, 11 «. 
Gregor, 129, 98, 99. 

PIebrides, 145 n. 

Hercules, 55 n, 109 n. 

Hesperides, 55 n. 

Highland Society of London, vi., 25 n. 

Highland Society of Scotland, vi., x. 

Highlands of Scotland, original races of, xxii. ; 

various periods of their literary history, 

xxxviii. 
Hill, Eev. Thomas, of Cooreclure, Ixii. 
Historical sketches of the original races of 

Ireland and the Scotch Highlands, and 

the dialects of their language, xxii., 

et seq. 
Holland, 135 n. 
Home, Mr. John, xlviii. 
Hourn, 145, no, in. 
Hugh, 9, 6, 7, 15, 12, 13. 

I, 144, no, III. 

Ian Lom, 43 n. 

Inch Aid Art, 94, 70, 71. 

Inche Gall, 145, no, in. 

India, 36. 

Innes, Mr. Cosmo, 7 n. 

Innis, 150 w, 

Innis Aingin, 135, 102, 103. 

Innisfail, 61, 42, 43, 151, 116, 117. 

Insegall, xxxiii. 

Inverlochy, 43 n. 

Inverness, 95, 70, 71. 

lolunn, 78, 56, 57. 

lona, xxiv., 14,4^11 ; monastery of, xxv., xliv. 

Ion a Club, 99 n. 

lorruaidh, 21 n. 

Ireland, 17, 12, 13, 21 n, 28 n, 30 n, 36, 
37 n, 51 n, 53 n. 

Ireland and Highlands of Scotland, the two 
original races of, xxii. ; records of tradi- 
tionary history, xxiii., et seq.; sketch of 
their ancient political connexion and liter- 
ary influence, xxxiv.-xxxvii. 

Irish dialects, viii., xii. ; comparison with the 
Scotch, xiv., XV. ; differences in, in the 
north and the south, xxv. 

Irish sennachies, xxxvi. 

Isla, xxiv., 99, 74, 75, 124, 94, 95, 127, 96, 

97- 
Islay, 21 n. 
Isle of Muck, 31 n. 

Isles, kingdom of the, sketch of, xxxi.-xxxv. 
Ith, Ixxii., 87 n. 

Jamieson, Dr., xxii. 
Jocelyn, xliv. 



John of Knoydart, 99, 72, 73. 
Johnson, Dr. Samuel, lii., liii., lix. 
John the Grizzled, ii., iii., vi. 

KeLLS, XXX. 

Kennedy, Duncan, lii., liii. 

Kerkal, 11, 8, 9. 

Kildare, county of, 8 n. 

Kilfinan, 145 n. 

Killichranky, i. 

King James the First, 95 n. 

Kintail, 77, 54, 55. 

Kirke, Kev. Robert, xl., Ixxx, 

Knapdale, 127 n, 151, 116, 117. 

Knox, John, xxxviii. 

Knoydart, 99, 72, 73. 

Kyle Aca, 153, 116, 117. 

Laing, Malcolm, lix. 

Lamacha, 112, 84, 85, 113, 86, 87. 

Lambarde, xiii. 

Language, Gaelic ; similarity between the 

Irish, Manx, and Scotch Gaelic dialects, 

xii.; vocabularies and grammars, xiii., 

xiv. ; first printed books, xxxviii.-xii. 
Languages, how influenced by etymology 

and sound, xviii. ; origin of dialects, xix. ; 

difierences as spoken and written, xxviii., 

xxix., xxxviii. 
Laoghar, 60,40, 41, 
Lecan, Book of, xxvii. 
Legendary poems and tales, remarks on the 

stages through which they passed, and 

the classes into which they are divisible, 

Ixxxii.-xc. 
Leinster, 12 n, 61, 42, 43, 62 n. 
Lennox, 93, 68, 69. 
Leny Leirg, 76, 54, 55. 
Lewis, island of, xxxiv., 127, 96, 97, 146, 

112,113. 
Lismore, Dean of (Sir James Macgregor), 

notices of his family, ii.-iv. ; remarks on 

his MS. collection of Gaelic poetry, v.-xi., 

xlvi., xlvii. ; its great value, as regards 

the language, xlvi. 
Literature, books first printed in Gaelic, 

XXX viii. -xii. 
Literary History of the Highlands, influences 

exercised on, xiii. ; division into various 

periods, xliii.-xlvi. 
Livingstone, 148 n. 
Lochaber, 20 w, Bin, 94, 70, 71. 
Lochlan, xxxii., Ixxv. 
Lochlin, 10, 8, 9, 11, 8, 9, 91, 66, 67. 
Loch Aw^e, 137 n, 143, 108, 109. 
Loch Broom, xxxii., xxxiv. 
Loch Etive, 120 n, 122 n. 



i6o 



INDEX. 



Loch Fojle, 62 n. 

Loch Fraoch, 54 n. 

Loch Hourn, 99 n. 

Loch Inch, 107, 8o, 8i. 

Loch Lochy, 145 n. 

Loch Lomond, 134 ?^ 

Loch Luine, xxiv. 

Loch Mai, 54 n, 54. 

Loch Ness, 31 n. 

Loch Swilly, 89 n. 

Loch Sween, 153 n. 

Loch Tay, i., 139 n. 

Loch Venachar, 95, 70, 71. 

Lomond, 134, 102, 103. 

Lords of the Isles, race of, xxxi., 96 n, 149 n ; 
influence of their rule on the language 
and population of the Highlands, xxxi.- 
XXXV. _;^ extinction of their kingdom, xxxv., 
xxxviii. 

Lords of Lorn, xxxiii. 

Lorn, 120 7i, 137 w, 155 ?i; Lords of, xxxiii. 

Luno's son, Mac an Loinn, 2, i, 2. 

Luthy, 9, 6, 7, 15, 12, 13. 

Lyon, river, i. 

M'Alpin, Kenneth, 138 n. 

M'Alpine's Gaehc Dictionary, xiii. 

Ivlacbheatha (the Betons), xxxvi. 

M'Cabe, Duncan, 119, 90, 91. 

M'Cailein, Duncan, 116, 88, 89. 

M'Calman, 146, 112, 113. 

MacChailein, 126, 94, 95, 132, 100 loi, 

147 71. 
MacConn, 70, 50, 51. 
M'Corquodale, Eafric, 126, 96, 97. 
Mac Cuilenan, 100, 74, 75. 
M'Donald, Mr. Alexander, teacher, xiii. 
M'Donald, Ronald, 110 n. 
MacDonalds, 79 w, 99 n. 
Macdonell, John, 43 n. 
M'Donells, 145 n. 
M'Donells of Glengarry, 99 n. 
Macdougall, Ailen Buidhe, xli. 
Macdougall, Allan Dall, xli. 
M'Dougall Maoil, Duncan, 137, 104, 105. 
M'Dougall, Phelim, 102, 76, 77. 
M'Dougalls of Lorn, xxxiii., 108 m, 119, 90, 

91, 122, 92, 93, 124, 137, 104, 105. 
M'Eachag, 140, 106, 107. 
MacElle, 78, 56, 57. 
M'Erc, 110, 82, 83, 139, 106, 107. 
M'Ewen M'Eacharn, John, 121, 92, 93. 
M'Farlane, Mr. Robert, xiii. 
M'Farlane, Mr. P., xiii. 
Macfarlane, Rev. Alex., of Kilninver, xl. 
M 'Fergus, 59, 40, 41. 
M'Finn, 61, 42, 43. 



MacGille glas, Dougall, 128, 98, 99. 

M'Gillindak, 141, 108, 109. 

M'Gregor, 50 n, 112, 84, 85, 113, 86, 87. 

114,88, 89, 114 n, 128, 98, 99, 137 71, Hi! 
108, 109, 142. See Lismore. 
Macgregors of Fortingall, ii.-iv. 
MacGurkich, Blind Arthur, 151, 116, 117. 
M'Inally, 50 n. 

M'Litosh, Andrew, 106, 80, 81. 
Macintosh, 132, 100, loi, 134, 102, 103. 
Macintyre, Duncan Ban, xli. 
Macintyre, Rev. J., x. 
M 'In tyre, the Bard, 107, 80, 81. 
Maclvor, 132, 100, 10 1. 
M'Kenzie, 99 n. 
Mackenzie, Henry, liv. 
M'Kenzie, Mr. Lachlan, 2 ?/,. 
Maclachlan, Mr. Ewen, x. 
M'Lagan, Rev. James, li. 
M'Lamond, 143, 108, 109. 
MacLawe, Donald, iii. 
Macleans, xxxvi. 
M'Leod, Roderick, 146 n. 
M'Leods of Lewis, 140, 106, 107, 146 w. 
MacLir, 68, 46, 47. 
M'Luy, 48, 32, 33, 49, 75, 52, 53, 81, 58, 59, 

85, 62, 63, 88, 64, 65. 
MacMorn, 71, 50, 51, 80, 56, 57. 
M'Murrich, John, 109, 82, 83, 112, 84, 85. 
M'Nab, Finlay, 125, 94, 95, 143 n. 
MacNee, 132, 100, loi. 
M'Neil, 126 «, 132, 100, loi. 
M'Neil, Hector M'Torquil, 127 «. 
Mac O'Duine, 31, 20, 21, 32, 22, 23, 33, 34, 

74, 50,51. 
M'Omie, Baron Ewin, 133, 102, 103 
M'Phadrick, 129, 98, 99. 
MacPhee, 132, 100, loi. 
M'Phersou, Duncan, 110, 82, S^. 
Macpherson, Mr. James, editor of Ossian, vi.. 

xlviii.-lxiii. 
Macpherson, Mr. Lachlan, ]., Ivii. 
MacRea, 74, 50, 51, 
M 'Robert, 95 n. 
MacRonain, 39, 24 2^, 39, 26, 27, 71 ko 

51,86,62,63. ^ ' 

M'Rorie, Allan, 30, 20, 21, 35, 24, 25, 48 /?. 
M'Ross, 61, 42, 43. 
IM'Ruarie, Allan, 144, no, in. 
MacSween, 132, 100, loi, 153, 116, 117. 
MacSweenys, 153, 116, 117. 
M'Vurichs, xxxvi., 109 w, 157 n. 
Magh Lena, 78, 56, 57. 
Mai, 54, 36, 37, 55, 38, 39, 56. 
Maighinis, 72, 50, 51. 
Malcom Kenmore, 139, 106, 107. 
Malrube, St., 22 n. 



I 



INDEX. 



i6i 



Man, isle of, 133 n. 

Man, Norwegian kingdom of, xxx. 

Manadh, 59, 40, 41. 

Manallan, 133, 102, 103. 

Mannanan, 68, 46, 47, 133, 102, 103. 

Man woe Breck, 78, 56, 57. 

Manx dialect, viii., xlii. ; poems in, Ixxxiv. 

Maoldomhnaich, 131 n, 133, 102, 103. 

Maormors of Moray, xxxi., xxxiv. 

Matheson, Mr., of Fernaig, xlii. 

Maxwell, Mr. John Hall, vii. 

Maye, 77, 54, 55. 

May re borb, 20 w. 

Meath, 26 w. 

Menzies, Robert, of that ilk, iii. 

Milesian races, Ixxvi , 134 w. 

Milesius, xxxix., Ixxii. 

Milidh of Spain, 134 w. 

Modheadh, 21 n. 

Monaree, 16, 12, 13. 

Monastery of lona, xxv. ; destruction of, and 

its results, xxix. 
Montrose, 43 n. 
Morar, 99 n. 

Moray, province of, xxx. ; earldom of, xlv. 
Morn, 12, 8, 9, 14, 10, 11, 23, 15, 16, 43 «, 

44, 28, 29, 46, 32, 33, 71, 50, 51, 81, 58, 

59, 85, 62, 63, 92, 68, 69. 
Morrison, Captain Alex., 1., Ivii. 
Morvern, Ixxx., 21 n. 
Muckrey, 36. 

Muin, 82, 60, 61, 85, 62, 63. 
Muirn Munchain, 68, 46, 47. 
Muirn, St., 7 n, 26 ?^, 68, 46, 47, 142, 108, 

109. 
Mull, xxiv., 21 n, 98, 72, 73, 127, 96, 97, 

132 n., 133, 102, 103. 
Miiller, Professor Max, xx. 
Munster, 35 w, 50 n, 91, 68, 69, 100 n. 
Murdoch Albanacb, 109 n, 157, 120, 121, 

158, 120, 121, 159, 122, 123. 

Nennius, xxvii. 
Nesae, flumen, Ixxxi. 
Nevis, river, 31 n. 

New Testament, first Gaelic translation, xl. 
Ni vie Cailein, Isabella, 155, 118, 119. 
Nial, Glundubh, 100 n. 
Nial Og, 127, 96, 97. 
Nicolson, Bishop, xiii. 
Nicolson of Scorrybreck, 11 n. 
Northumberland, Anglic kingdom of, xxvii. 
Norwegian kingdom of Man and the Isles, 
its formation, xxix., xxx. 

O'Cairbre, 99, 72, 73. 
O'Carril, a minstrel, xxxvi. 



O'Cathan, house of, xxxiv., xxxvi. 

Ocha, battle of, xxiv., Ixv. 

O'Cloan, 54, 36, 37. 

O'Coffey, Aodh, xxxvi. 

O'Connor, 157 n. 

O'Curry, Professor E., Ixii., Ixviii., Ixxxvi., 
62 n, 88 n, 91 n, 98 w, 135 n. 

O'Dalys, xxxvi. 

O'Daly, Maclosa, xxxvi. 

O'Driscoll, 58 n. 

O'Duine, 30 n. 

O'Flaherty, 35 w, 36 n, 101 n. 

O'Grady, S. H., 157 n, 

O'Higgin, Giollacoluira, xxxvi. 

Oirir a tuath, xxxiii., xxxiv. 

Oirirgaidheal (Argathelia), xxxii. 

Oirthir Ghaidheai, 135 n, 

O'Kanes, 147 n. 

Olave the Red, xxxiii. 

O'Neills, xxxvi., 100 n. 

O'Reilly, Edward, lix. 

Orgill, 58, 40, 41. 

Orgialla, kingdom of, xxiii. 

Orla, 54, 36, 37. 

Orthography of the Dean of Lismore's ms., 
vii.-x. 

Oscar, 9, 6, 7, 15, 10, 11, 16, 12, 13, 17, 19, 
21, 14, 15, 23, 16, 17, 39, 26, 27, 40, 41, 
42, 28, 29, 48, 32, 33, 49, 34, 35, 71, 50, 
51, 72, 81, 58, 59, 82, 60, 61, 85, 62, 63, 
86, 88, 64, 65. 

Ossian, 1, i. 2, 3, i, 2, 4, 4, 5, 13, 10, 11, 
16, 12, 13; 17, 18, 19, 20, 14, 15, 26, 18, 
19, 28, 39, 24, 25, 70, 50, 51, 71, 50, 51, 
72, 81, 58, 59, 82, 60, 61, 84, 88, 64, 65, 
95 w. 

Ossian, poems of, question of their authenti- 
city, vi. ; circumstances under which the 
controversy arose, xlvii. ; historical sketch 
of, xlviii.-lxiii. 

Ossianic Society, Ix., Ixxiv. 

Owar, 11, 8, 9. 

Paisley, 149 n. 

Patrick, St., see St. Patrick. 

Persians, 50 n. 

Perthshire, 30%, 31 n, 54 n. 

Petrie, Ixx. 

Philip, 111, 84, 85. 

Picts, 31 w. 

Popular poetry of the Highlands in the 

spoken dialect, xli. 
Port-na-minna, 9, 6, 7. 
Psalms, Gaelic metrical versions of, xxxix., 

xl. 
Publications of Dublin Gaelic Societies, Ix.- 

Ixii. 



11 



1 62 



INDEX. 



QuiGRiCH, 8n, 

Eaon Fraoich, 94, 70, 71. 

Rath Cruachan, 84, 62, 63. 

Eeeves, Dr., 37 n. 

Eeformation of 16th century, its influence on 
the population and literature of the High- 
lands, xxxviii.-xli. 

Eelig Oran, 144, 100, loi. 

Eeligious literature of the Highlands, 
xxxviii.-xli. 

Eevan, 85, 62, 63. 

Eobert, 104, 78, 79. 

Eobertson, Principal, xlviii. 

Eonan, 9, 6, 7, 15, 12, 13. 

Eos illirglass, 63, 44, 45. 

Eoss, earldom of, xxxiv. 

Eoss-shire, 22 n. 

Eoss, Thomas, his edition of the Psalter, xl. 

Eoss, W., xli. 

Eoughbounds, the, Ixxx. 

Eoy, 20 n. 

Eoyal Irish Academy, lix. 

Eualeacht, 77, 54, 55. 

Eury, 50, 34, 35, 51, 89, 64, 65. 

Eustum, 50 n. 

Eyno, 9, 6, 7, 15, 10, 11, 75, 54, 55, 85, 62, 
63- 

Sasunn, 75, 54, 55. 

Scandinavian pirates, xxix. 

Scanlan, 98, 72, 73. 

Schih allien, 30 n. 

Schiehallion, 95, 70, 71. 

Schleicher, xxi. 

Sciath, 78, 56, 57. 

Scoilean, 83, 60, 61. 

Scotch Gaelic, vocahulanes and grammar of, 

xiii., xiv. ; differences from the Irish, xiv. ; 

districts in which it is most purely spoken, 

XV. ; remarks on its peculiarities, xvi - 

xviii. 
Scotia, 36 n. 
Scotland, 21 n, 30 w, 33 n, 37 n, 49 n, 54??, 

87 ?i, 134 m. 
Scots, the race so called, xxii., xxv., xxvi. 

See Cruithne. 
Scott, Sir Walter, x. 
Sean Dana, liii. 
Sennachies, Irish, xxxvi. 
Servanus, xiv. 
Settlements of the Scots and Cruithne, xxv., 

Ixiv.-lxxviii. 
Sgiath, 53, 36, 37. 
Sgith, Clar, 140, 106, 107. 
Shannon, 135 n. 
Shell, 145, no, III. 



n 



Siol Torcull, 140 w. 

Skail, 16, 12, 13. 

Skye, xxxiv., Ixxxi., 17 w, 51 n, 53 n, 140 n 
153 n. 

Sleat, 51 n. 

Sliabh Gael, 127, 96, 97. 

Sliabh nam ban fionn, 4 n. 

Slieve Mis, 153, 116, 117. 

Slieve Mun, 153, 116, 117. 

Slochd muice, 31 n. 

Small, 9, 6, 7, 12, 8, 9, 16, 12, 13, 82, 60, 61. ' 

Smith, Dr. J., of Campbelltown, xl., lii., liii., 
3 n. 

Socach, 15, 12, 13. 

Society for Propagating Christian Know- 
ledge, xiii., xl. 

Somarled, xxxi., xxxii. 

Sorcha, 21 w, 22. 

Sound, influence of, on language, xviii. 

Spain, 75, 54, 55. 

Spey, 107 w. 

Srubh Brain, 89 n. 

Stronmelochan, 128 w. 

St. Andrews, 31 71. 

St. Columba, xxv., xxx., 37 7?, 144, 1 10, 1 1 1. 

St, Fillan, 8 n. 

St. Kentigern, xliv., xiv. « 

St. Patrick, 3 n, 4, 4 %, 5 11, 6, 7 n, 12, 8, 9,1 
14, 10, II, 18, 12, 13, 19, 28 n, 76, 54,1 
55, 85 ?z. 

St. Eegulus, 31 n. 

Stewarts of Athole, 95 n. 

Stewart, Eev. Alexander, of Dingwall, xiv. 

Stewart, Dr., of Luss, xl. 

Stewart, John, 95, 70, 71. 

Stewart, Eev. James, of Killin, xl. 

Sutherland, Christina, 42 n. 

Tadg og, xxxvi. 

Taura, 19, 124, 125, 38, 24, 25, 63, 44, 45, 

64, 65. 
Tavar Vrie, 77, 54, 55. 
Taylor, Gilchrist, 93, 68, 69. 
Taymouth, iii., 115 n. 
Teague, 110, 82, 83. 
Teige, 26, 18, 19. 
Temora, an epic poem, li. 
Thurles, 77, 54, 55. 
Tipperary, 4 n, 63 n. 
Tobermory, 132 n. 
Torgulbin, 30 n. 
Torquil M'Leod, 146 n. 
Trenmore, 14, 10, ii, 40, 28, 29. 
Trosachs, 31 n. 
Tuatha de Dannan, the, xxxix., Ixxvi., 

Ixxxvi. 
Tuathal teachtmhar, Ixxii. 



INDEX. 



163 



Tuber na Fein, Ixxx. 
Tullichmullm, i., v. 
Tummell, 95, 70, 71. 
Tyree, 21 n, 

Uabeeck, 78, 56, 57. 

Uisneach, children of, Ixxxi., Ixxxvi., 

Ixxxvii. 
Ulster, 12 n, 30 n, 35 n, 50, 34, 35, 51, 52 n, 

90, 66, 67, 153 n. 

Variations in Irish dialects, xxv. 
Ventry harbour, Ixxxii., 7 w, 11, 8, 9. 
Vitrified forts, Ixxxi. 



Vocabularies of Scotch Gaelic, xiii. 
Vikings or sea-robbers, xxix. 

Wales, 8 n, 49 n. 
Welsh, 31 n, 129 n. 
Welsh dialects, viii., xlii. 
Wilde, Dr , 62 w. 
Wilson, Dr. D., 7 n. 
Whitebacks, 80, 56, 57. 

Young, Dr.^ Bishop of Clonfert, Iviii. 

ZOHEAB, 50 n. 



I 



EPINBUKGH : T. CONSTABLE, 
PRINTER TO THE QUEEN, AND TO THE UNIVERSITY. 



E E E A T A. 



ENGLISH. 

Page 3, line 10, for " No crushing bones," read "No giving gold." 

n 5, ,, 18, for " Coat of mail of brightest steel," read "a javelin of bright 
sharp point." 

,, 10, ,, 2, /or " to whom," etc,, read "whose breast was of the purest 
white." 

„ 12, ,, 27, for " There never was," etc., read " The end of our days we had 
not reached." 

,, 16, ,, 14, for " Deach Fichid's son," read " The thirty sons." 

,, 17, ,, 7, for " is ours," I'ead "I may read." 

„ 18, ,, 11, for "Though little room," etc., read "Though little the hum- 
ming fly, not even a sunbeam." 

,, 21, ,, 3, for " Come," etc, read " She came to," etc. 

,, 26, „ 4, for " A braver man," read " a longer week." 

,, 26, ,, 7, /or " fortune," rea^ "patron." 

„ 26, ,, 18, for "Despised," etc., read "A rider bold." 

,, 58, n. delete "or the betrothed." 

„ 59, ,, 4, /or "Said," reac? "Ere." 

,, 104, „ 5, for "A crown," etc., read "a sickle without a crop." 

GAELIC. - 

Page 3, line 13, for " gun phronnadh cnaimh," read " gun bhronnadh credh." 

7, „ 34, for " dhiubh a breith a gheill," read " fa 'n braigh a ghile." 

13, ,, 17, for " is leinn," read " a leughainn." 

t8, „ 5, for "zar," read "zad." 

19) >! 5> /"^^ " saoi bu gheire," read " se a b'fhaide." 

19, n 7, for " M'eud," read " M' oide." 

19) J' 9, /or "mairg," rea^ " marcaich." 

^5) >) 32, for " fath," read " Fatha ;" for " Cuinn," read " Con." 

^5) )) 35, for " oir," read " oirbh ;" for " a," read " ars'." 

41, ,, 18, ^r "ars'," reafZ "Ere." 

57, „ 18, /or " Cao," rea(^ " CaoL" St 

59j n 19, ./or "Faicibh," reacZ "faicinn." 

79> )> 3, for "Coroin," read "corran." 



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